Mark O’Neill, 61, the former owner of Cirencester Antiques Centre, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison following his conviction on multiple serious sexual offences. The sentencing took place at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, 10 July.
O’Neill pleaded guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency and was convicted of four counts of buggery after a trial. These offences have been described as abhorrent.
Cirencester Antiques Centre, located in the town’s Market Place, has been a fixture in the community for 25 years. The store, once owned by O’Neill, has been prominently featured on television programmes such as Antiques Road Trip and Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. Its website highlights its extensive and varied collection, describing the venue as “an Aladdin’s cave of room after room, packed with a vast range of Antiques, Collectables & Gift ideas.”
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Company records show that Mark O’Neill became director of Cirencester Antiques Centre in June 2012 and resigned on 25 May 2020, with Nathan Hanafin-Smith succeeding him in the role.
O’Neill will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence and will remain on licence for four years following his release.