A narrowboat stolen from its moorings was discovered while it was in the process of being disguised by a Gloucester thief.
Bernard Smith was attempting to paint the Cushie Butterfield vessel and was doing work in a bid to conceal its true identity, the court heard.
The 51-year-old of Bryon Avenue in Podsmead left the canal boat damaged and without its 60 plaques and awards of places its owner, Arthur Best, had taken it.
Smith was jailed for eight months at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to stealing it – despite maintaining he was making improvements to it.
Prosecutor Julian Kesner told the court Mr Best had last used his recreational boat on August 3, last year and left it moored in good condition at Parkend in Sharpness.
But when he returned on August 24 – the boat had disappeared and he eventually traced it to Sims Bridge in Quedgeley.
Mr Kesner said: "It is the prosecution's case that he clearly knew that the boat he was claiming to do up he was doing the opposite to.
"At one stage he was saying he was being paid money to do it up, but in reality his efforts were made to disguise the identification of the boat.
"He ruined what was a canal boat in pretty good order."
He said Smith had removed and refitted back doors, painted over a rose at the back and repainted and varnished it.
The Cushie Butterfield had paint on the carpets inside and on a wooden table.
"Mr Best has been using it over the years and when they go to various places they pick up plaques and awards – but these have been removed," Mr Kesner said.
"In Mr Best's word they are irreplaceable and priceless to them."
The prosecutor said he believed the damage to be in the vicinity of £15,000, but that was disputed by the defence.
Smith was caught as a cigarette butt containing his DNA was found on board.
Defending Paul Trottman said Smith had initially said a man, who he had no contact details for had claimed to be the owner of the boat and paid him to renovate it.
But he accepted, by his guilty plea, he had stolen it.
Judge Euan Ambrose jailed Smith for eight months.
He told him: "You caused significant damage to the boat and you made a crude attempt at disguising it.
"It was found in a damage state. The interior was described as being in utter chaos.
"There is a long list of items that have been damaged or stolen within the boat."
