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Man first to be fined for sending art to Russia
Man first to be fined for sending art to Russia
Richard Price - West MidlandsFri, July 3, 2026 at 12:11 PM UTC1 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.A businessman has become the first person to be convicted of breaching UK sanctions relating to exporting luxury goods to Russia.
Jonathan Hornby, from Nantwich, Cheshire, tried to send four pieces of artwork to Russia in February 2024, according to HMRC.
He was fined a total of £30,085 after Border Force officers seized the shipment at Heathrow Airport.
Hornby, 54, admitted the offences at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"This conviction shows the consequences of breaching Russia sanctions that we can and do investigate," said Edwige Hill, deputy director in HMRC's fraud investigation service.
"Non-compliance with Russia sanctions is a serious offence and together with our international partners, the UK government has implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy."
The consignment was linked to both of Hornby's business, Global Customs Systems UK Limited and In Time Worldwide Express Ltd, HMRC said.
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