A solicitor accused of enjoying a lavish meal and

A solicitor accused of enjoying a lavish meal and charging a football club client pnds stlg 2,000, claiming it was a work meeting, said today it was ‘not a jolly’.

David Hayes, 53, ran up a pnds stlg 230 bill after a four hour lunch at a top Mayfair restaurant with two business associates.

The lawyer was allegedly celebrating the payment of over pnds stlg 100,000 of fees for legal work done for Darlington FC director Michael Peden.

Hayes paid the bill for the meal at the Greenhouse in Mayfair on November 18, 1998, that included three bottles of Premier Cru Chablis.

He is then said to have improperly claimed it was a business meeting and charged the club for the meal and pnds stlg 1,625 for his legal services, travel from Coventry and hotel bill.

But today Hayes told the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal the lunch was arranged to talk about Mr Peden’s financial difficulties.

He said: ‘It was not a jolly.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the problems Mr Peden was facing.

‘That was central to my thinking.

‘

The tribunal have heard Mr Peden met for lunch with businessman Peter Williams and architect Giovanni del Pozzo.

Hayes added: ‘It is possible they regarded it as a celebration.

I certainly did not.

‘

The lawyer said he had refrained from drinking large amounts because he was driving when he returned to Coventry.

‘I had no more than two glasses of wine.

I also drank a litre bottle of sparkling water.

‘

Hayes told the hearing: ‘I offered to pay.

At that point I made it perfectly clear I would be charging it as a disbursement to the client.

‘There was no question about that.

‘

The hearing has been told Mr Peden did not attend the lunch.

But Hayes said: ‘He was a very volatile character.

It would not have been present to discuss that with him present.

‘

Part of the business involved work on the construction of a new east stand at the club’s ground, the tribunal was told.

Mr Peden later discovered the invoice and complained to the Law Society.

Some of the proceeds of the bill had been improperly described as travel, it is claimed.

But Hayes said: ‘The categorisation as travel was something entirely outside my control.

It was in the accounts department in London.

‘

Hayes denies overcharging and misleading a client.

The alleged misconduct occurred when Hayes worked as a partner at law firm Warner Cranston based in Park House, Station Square, Coventry.

The hearing continues.

ends

addjolly