Antiques dealer in Bard probe bailed

Nov 8 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

THE man at the centre of investigations into the theft of a £15m copy of Shakespeare’s works from a North East library was bailed pending further inquiries yesterday.

Raymond Scott, 51, walked into the Folger Shakespeare library, in Washington DC, with a first folio edition experts believed to be the copy stolen from Durham University Library in December 1998.

The antiques dealer has publicly denied stealing the work and claims it was in Cuba he acquired the copy he took to be verified.

He has said he would welcome a day in court to clear his name and has publicly expressed confidence that he will escape charges.

Mr Scott was re-arrested on Thursday amid fresh evidence, after initially being questioned by police in July.

Last night, Detective Insp Mick Callan said: “The 51-year-old man at the centre of inquiries into the stolen Shakespeare folio was released on police bail late this afternoon pending further inquiries.

“He had been held in custody at Durham City police station since his arrest on Thursday morning.”

Mr Scott entered the Folger Library in July and asked experts to verify the folio as genuine.

But academics at the centre said they thought the book was that taken from Durham University in 1998.

Mr Scott was then arrested in a raid at the house he shares with his 80-year-old mother, following a tip-off by the British Embassy in the USA.

The disputed folio was transported to Durham from the United States around a fortnight ago to allow police to carry out further investigations. It has not yet been transferred to the university.

Following its transfer, Mr Scott, of Widgeon Close, Washington, near Sunderland, launched a legal challenge in the city’s county court to have it returned to him within 14 days.