Florida pastor gets jail in fake Damien Hirst art case

Sutherland mimicked Hirst's iconic round "spin" paintings, such as the one pictured here (Getty)

A Miami pastor has been sentenced to six months in a New York jail for trying to sell bogus examples of some of British artist Damien Hirst's signature paintings.

Kevin Sutherland was sentenced Monday in the attempted grand larceny case. He had faced a possible seven years in prison.

His lawyer, Sam Talkin, noted Sutherland's history of good works.

The 46-year-old Sutherland leads a small, nondenominational Miami church.

He was convicted last month of trying to sell five bogus Hirst paintings and prints for $185,000. They mimicked Hirst's pharmaceutical-themed "spot" paintings and round "spin" paintings.

Sutherland said an auction house never clearly told him the artworks were fake. He plans to appeal.

Hirst received Great Britain's prestigious Turner Prize in 1995.