A Leicester solicitor who ‘played fast and loose’
A Leicester solicitor who ‘played fast and loose’ with money left by dead clients was kicked out of the profession today.
(Thurs)
Andrew Cameron (no age available) took pnds stlg 26,000 from the accounts to pay other customers, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal heard in London.
He later worked as a solicitor for a Birmingham firm when he did not have a licence to practice.
Cameron of (1) Broughton’s Field, Wigston Harcourt, Leicester, was not in at the London to see his career come to an end.
The tribunal was told he had worked as an assistant solicitor for the New Walk firm of Harvey Owston Ingram, from which he was later sacked.
An inspection of the books revealed massive shortfalls in the accounts, said Mr George Marriott for the Law Society.
The estate of Mr RLF Willam (corr) had been plundered of pnds stlg 15,000, although pnds stlg 10,000 was later put back into the account.
Some pnds stlg 11,000 had also been taken from the account of a HWG Baker, said Mr Marriott.
In both cases the money was been used to pay cash owed to two unconnected clients.
When challenged over the discrepancies, Cameron said ‘he had buckled under pressure and had misappropriated money from client’s accounts as a short term expedient,’ said Mr Marriott.
Cameron’s certificate to practice expired in October 1998 and there was no application to renew it.
On May 18 last year he began work for Birmingham firm, Anthony Collins.
Cameron was sacked for gross misconduct when bosses found out about the certificate in November.
The lawyer accepted he was guilty of conduct unbefitting a solicitor by breaching three financial rules and being employed without a certificate, said Mr Marriott.
Tribunal chairman Mr John Potter said: ‘In the case before us of Andrew Cameron we find the respondent has clearly played fast and loose with clients’s money and aggravated matters by obtaining employment without a certificate, with all the attendant dangers that has to the public.
‘In the circumstances we take the view that the appropriate order in the case is as follows he be struck off the Roll of Solicitors and pay costs of pnd stlg 5,336.
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ends
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