A dishonest solicitor was struck off today (THURS)
A dishonest solicitor was struck off today (THURS) after client cash to the tune of more than pnds stlg 180,000 vanished from their accounts.
Peter Patterson, 54, admitted making massive accounting errors from his west London practice during a series of property deals.
But investigators were unable to trace the money because the firms accounts were incomplete, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal heard.
Mr Patterson, who suffered a heart attack in April last year, did not attend the hearing.
Another lawyer, Cyril Kissen, 70, who worked at Patterson and Partners, was also struck off today (THURS) for the accounting errors.
Mr Kissen was not alleged to have acted dishonestly but the panel found he was guilty of breaching solicitors’ rules of conduct.
He was not present or represented at the hearing.
Jon Goodwin, for the Law Society, told the panel Mr Patterson worked from premises in Edgware Road, Southall, when his firm were late in filing their accounts for the year ending April 1997.
But despite a compliance committee ruling demanding the account report the solicitor did not comply with the order and the account was never filed.
‘His actions amounted to conscious impropriety,’ said Mr Goodwin.
Adrian Smith, a compliance officer, was sent by the Law Society to examine the firm’s books of account.
He discovered there was a cash shortfall of pnds stlg 186,383.
09 on clients accounts.
The firm’s accountants had refused to continue working for Mr Patterson because he did not produce the required paperwork needed to maintain proper records.
Mr Smith told the panel Mr Patterson had acted for a man referred to as Dr D and some business partners after he advertised his services in a property auction catalogue.
Dr D had paid the solicitor pnds stlg 128,000 to handle a house purchase in November 1997.
But by February 1998 when the deal had not taken place the client demanded his money back.
‘Mr Patterson had a meeting with Dr D and his colleagues and informed them he did not have sufficient funds to pay them,’ Mr Smith recalled.
‘He informed them that he had in error paid out these monies to other clients.
‘
Mr Smith said he was unable to find where the money had gone because client account bank details were missing.
‘Dr D was quite anxious to have his money returned.
‘
Mr Smith said other employees at the firm revealed ‘that threats had been made by Dr D and other unspecified people that this money should be repaid.
‘
He went on: ‘Mr Patterson could not give me an answer as to how he was going to repay the money.
‘In truth there was no evidence as such, merely suspicions that money was taken from one client for the benefit of others.
‘He was quite open about it.
‘Yes, I do owe the money but no, I cannot say where the money had gone to.
”
The panel was told there was no evidence to show Mr Patterson had benefited personally from the account breaches.
The tribunal heard how Mr Patterson also made an error in relation to a property deal involving a house in Norwood Road, Herne Hill, southeast London, in March 1997.
Solicitor Robert Foreman, representing Mr Patterson, said a combination of depression and a drinking problem, caused by the stress of running a firm had taken a heavy toll on him.
Mr Foreman then read a statement prepared by Mr Foreman: ‘During that difficult time my personality was such that I just blacked it out.
‘
He added that Mr Patterson insisted he did not act dishonestly.
‘Whilst he has made mistakes and admitted those mistakes he says he can hold his head up high and say he has not been dishonest.
‘
The panel was told some money has been recovered from the Solicitors Indemnity fund although an undisclosed sum is outstanding.
Both Mr Patterson, of Boundary Road, Worthing, and Mr Kissen, of Gaysford Road, Shepherds Bush, admitted five allegations; that they failed to deliver accounts reports; that they failed to comply with a compliance committee order that they file an accounts report;
that they failed to keep properly written up books of account; that they withdrew money out of clients funds other than permitted; and that they utilised clients funds for benefit of other clients.
Mr Patterson also admitted failing to produce files of account to an investigating officer.
The hearing was told Mr Patterson had formerly lived at Oak House in Blackham, Tunbridge Wells.
Today (THURS) the panel rejected Mr Patterson’s insistence of honesty and ordered he be struck off the Roll of Solicitors.
Tribunal chairman Mr Richard Bamford said: ‘The way he turned a blind eye was conscious impropriety which is dishonest within the current case.
‘
The panel also ordered that Mr Kissen be struck off.
Costs are to be assessed at a later date.
ends
