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| Man found dead in London canal had turned his life around, say friends | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Friends and family of an Italian man who was found dead bound to a shopping trolley in a London canal have spoken out against his portrayal as an art thief and a criminal, saying he had turned his life around. | Friends and family of an Italian man who was found dead bound to a shopping trolley in a London canal have spoken out against his portrayal as an art thief and a criminal, saying he had turned his life around. |
| The body of Sebastiano Magnanini, 46, was pulled from Regent’s canal in north London after being spotted by a passerby last week. Police said on Thursday that they were not linking his death to organised crime, despite speculation in Italian media reports, but were treating it as suspicious. | The body of Sebastiano Magnanini, 46, was pulled from Regent’s canal in north London after being spotted by a passerby last week. Police said on Thursday that they were not linking his death to organised crime, despite speculation in Italian media reports, but were treating it as suspicious. |
| Magnanini, originally from Venice, was jailed for 18 months in the late 1990s after stealing an 18th-century painting worth nearly 2bn lire (then about £1m) from a church. Originally from the Cannaregio area of Venice, Magnanini is thought to have moved to Plaistow, east London, in 2003, before travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia. He is understood to have moved back to London this summer. | Magnanini, originally from Venice, was jailed for 18 months in the late 1990s after stealing an 18th-century painting worth nearly 2bn lire (then about £1m) from a church. Originally from the Cannaregio area of Venice, Magnanini is thought to have moved to Plaistow, east London, in 2003, before travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia. He is understood to have moved back to London this summer. |
| But friends from Magnanini’s time as a tour guide with an Italian company in Cambodia in 2009 said he was not a criminal and was a wonderful human being. | But friends from Magnanini’s time as a tour guide with an Italian company in Cambodia in 2009 said he was not a criminal and was a wonderful human being. |
| Luke MacKenzie, who became friends with Magnanini when he arrived in Cambodia, said he and the Italian’s family were devastated at how he was being characterised. | Luke MacKenzie, who became friends with Magnanini when he arrived in Cambodia, said he and the Italian’s family were devastated at how he was being characterised. |
| “Sebastiano’s friends here in Cambodia are very worried about the media painting him in a bad light, he is so far from a bad person,” he told the Guardian. “He stole an art piece, but I met him after all that happened and he wouldn’t hurt a fly, that guy. | |
| “This is horrible for his family. I’m determined for his name to go down in history as a quality, standup guy. | “This is horrible for his family. I’m determined for his name to go down in history as a quality, standup guy. |
| “He didn’t talk about what happened in the past, he had told a few friends what he’d done, but just by knowing him you knew he was genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf. He was a new man and a wonderful human being who will be sorely missed.” | “He didn’t talk about what happened in the past, he had told a few friends what he’d done, but just by knowing him you knew he was genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf. He was a new man and a wonderful human being who will be sorely missed.” |
| Related: Body found in London canal identified as Italian national | Related: Body found in London canal identified as Italian national |
| As Scotland Yard appealed for more information about Magnanini on Thursday, his brother Matteo also insisted “Seba” was not involved in any criminal activity. | As Scotland Yard appealed for more information about Magnanini on Thursday, his brother Matteo also insisted “Seba” was not involved in any criminal activity. |
| “The press are picturing him as a criminal purely based on his past. But my brother was a romantic free spirit that lived his life fully, looking for peace and happiness,” he told the Evening Standard. | “The press are picturing him as a criminal purely based on his past. But my brother was a romantic free spirit that lived his life fully, looking for peace and happiness,” he told the Evening Standard. |
| On Facebook, Magnanini listed himself as living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and told friends as recently as June that he planned to return to London soon. He is understood to have worked as a carpenter and for an events company while living in the capital. | On Facebook, Magnanini listed himself as living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and told friends as recently as June that he planned to return to London soon. He is understood to have worked as a carpenter and for an events company while living in the capital. |
| One of Magnanini’s friends in London, who declined to be named, told the Guardian he had known him for about two years and last saw him a few weeks before his death. | One of Magnanini’s friends in London, who declined to be named, told the Guardian he had known him for about two years and last saw him a few weeks before his death. |
| “He seemed happy. He was always happy,” the friend said. “Never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He’d been travelling for years all over the world. He was just one of those living out of a bag, come and go, happy, friendly people.” | “He seemed happy. He was always happy,” the friend said. “Never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He’d been travelling for years all over the world. He was just one of those living out of a bag, come and go, happy, friendly people.” |
| Detectives had earlier issued a plea for information by describing Magnanini’s distinctive tattoos: a lizard or gecko on his right shoulder, a koi carp on his torso and some smaller tattoos on the fingers of one hand. | Detectives had earlier issued a plea for information by describing Magnanini’s distinctive tattoos: a lizard or gecko on his right shoulder, a koi carp on his torso and some smaller tattoos on the fingers of one hand. |
| One traveller friend from Cambodia posted a tribute to the man he called his “guide to Asia”. He wrote: “Asia, without your knowledge, would have been just a land different from mine. Thanks for telling me its story. And a bit of yours … Goodbye old man. Goodbye”. | One traveller friend from Cambodia posted a tribute to the man he called his “guide to Asia”. He wrote: “Asia, without your knowledge, would have been just a land different from mine. Thanks for telling me its story. And a bit of yours … Goodbye old man. Goodbye”. |
| The death is being treated as suspicious and detectives from the homicide and major crime command are investigating. DCI Rebecca Reeves, who is leading the investigation, said: “This has been devastating for Sebastiano’s family. He was a much-loved son and saw his family regularly as he travelled between Italy and London for work. | The death is being treated as suspicious and detectives from the homicide and major crime command are investigating. DCI Rebecca Reeves, who is leading the investigation, said: “This has been devastating for Sebastiano’s family. He was a much-loved son and saw his family regularly as he travelled between Italy and London for work. |
| “His life in Italy, before coming to London, will inevitably form part of the investigation, but at this early stage we are not looking at organised crime as a motive.” | “His life in Italy, before coming to London, will inevitably form part of the investigation, but at this early stage we are not looking at organised crime as a motive.” |
| The theft of the artwork, Education of the Virgin by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, was described as “tragicomic” by the investigating officer Giuseppe Mauceri in press reports at the time. | The theft of the artwork, Education of the Virgin by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, was described as “tragicomic” by the investigating officer Giuseppe Mauceri in press reports at the time. |
| On 13 December 1993, the men entered the Venice church of Santa Maria della Fava, evading detection by monks because there was no alarm system but finding their simplistic tools were not suitable for removing the painting from its heavy frame. | On 13 December 1993, the men entered the Venice church of Santa Maria della Fava, evading detection by monks because there was no alarm system but finding their simplistic tools were not suitable for removing the painting from its heavy frame. |
| Magnanini and his accomplice approached another friend who reportedly told them it was bad luck to steal from a church but was persuaded to help when told of the painting’s value. | Magnanini and his accomplice approached another friend who reportedly told them it was bad luck to steal from a church but was persuaded to help when told of the painting’s value. |
| The trio took a break from their heavy work during the night, drinking at a local bar and smoking marijuana. They later escaped with the painting, which they had folded in half and tied up with shoestrings. | The trio took a break from their heavy work during the night, drinking at a local bar and smoking marijuana. They later escaped with the painting, which they had folded in half and tied up with shoestrings. |
| Police discovered the painting, which depicts the Virgin Mary and her mother, at a house near the city’s Marco Polo airport. | Police discovered the painting, which depicts the Virgin Mary and her mother, at a house near the city’s Marco Polo airport. |
| Magnanini was found guilty of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 1998. In sentencing, the magistrate said he could not exclude the possibility that the men may have been operating after instruction from the Venetian mafia. | Magnanini was found guilty of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 1998. In sentencing, the magistrate said he could not exclude the possibility that the men may have been operating after instruction from the Venetian mafia. |