In court, Glasgow held a preliminary hearing in a case of kidnapping pictures «Madonna and distaff» painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Five men charged in the extortion of funds for the return of paintings in the amount of 4.25 million pounds

Five men accused of stealing paintings by Leonardo da Vinci for ransom in the amount of 4.25 million pounds (7.5 million dollars) last week appeared in court in Glasgow.

Cloth «Madonna and distaff» was stolen from a Scottish castle Dramlanrig (Drumlanrig) in August 2003. This crime was one of the loudest in the art medium of Great Britain, and the picture that began to look around the world, even got into a list of ten most wanted by the FBI works of art.

In the past year (presumably, from 18 July to 4 October), the kidnappers came to us with the insurance company for the assessment of damage, and stated that the work of Leonardo returned intact within 72 hours. However, they have the condition: the two bank accounts (one of them in Britain, another - in Switzerland) should be listed in the amount of 4.25 million pounds sterling. In October last year in one of the law firms of Glasgow police detained five men, which was discovered painting «Madonna with the wheel».

to the High Court of Glasgow were: Robert Graham (Robert Graham), John Doyle (John Doyle), Ronald Marshall (Marshall Ronald) and Beuys, David (David Boyce) from Lancashire County in the west of England, as well as Kalume Jones (Calum Jones) of Scottish Renfrushir area. They are accused of conspiring to extort, the attempted extortion, and in an attempt to obstruct justice.

The four defendants - Robert Graham, John Doyle, Kalume Beuys and David Jones not guilty, and Marshall Ronald refrained from making statements.

The next preliminary hearing on the case will be held November 10.

For more than 200 years «Madonna and distaff» is owned by the family of the Dukes of Buckley. At the time of theft of the painting, valued at more than 30 million pounds, owned by John Scott (John Scott), the ninth Duke of Buckley (Buccleuch), who died last September after a short illness at the age of 83 years. Now she has passed by inheritance of his son.

Source: independent.co.uk