A crooked solicitor who forged mortgage documents
A crooked solicitor who forged mortgage documents to swindle more than pnds stlg 44,000 from the Inland Revenue was kicked out of the legal profession today.
(Tues)
Peter Bodger, 46, altered deeds to show a lower amount of stamp duty than clients had actually paid.
He pocketed the difference and paid in pnds stlg 44,584 into his post office savings account, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal in central London heard.
Grey-haired father-of-two Bodger, who qualified in 1980, was a partner in the firm Fancy and Jackson, of High Street, Staines, Middsx.
He worked in the company’s offices in Basingstoke, Hants, and Church Road, Ashford, Middsx.
Mr Andrew Miller, for the Law Society, said: ‘The respondent had obtained client funds for his own purposes.
‘The method utilised by the respondent appears to be the same, namely in certain conveyancing transactions he altered the price appearing on conveyancing deeds and transfers.
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Mr Miller went onto explain how Bodge would use the new figure to create a false amount of stamp duty.
He said on the day Bodger’s activities were discovered by a Law Society investigator he repaid the money and resigned.
Mr Miller added: ‘This is a matter which I have to put to you in terms of dishonesty and dishonesty in a strong sense.
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Bodger, of (5) Oaken Drive, Claygate, Esher, admitted misuse of client funds, and using client funds for his own purposes.
Mr Andrew Hopper, QC, for Bodger, described his wrongdoing as ‘a cry for help akin to a suicide attempt.
‘They were actions prompted by a state of mind, someone who had reached desperation after a long period of time.
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Mr Hopper said Bodger suffered stress which began when he injured a knee in a football game shortly after he qualified in 1980.
He said the conditions got so bad that Bodger would burst into tears and on one occasion he fainted when a secretary announced her resignation.
Bodger also swooned when the Law Society investigator came to call.
‘He is unable to truthfully explain why he did, what he did.
‘His actions were caused by the condition he was suffering.
‘Mr Bodger should be treated with some sympathy as someone who is ill,’ Mr Hopper added.
The QC explained that Bodger has now left the profession and is working as a student teacher.
Striking Bodger off tribunal chairman Adrian Gaynor-Smith said: ‘We have listened very carefully and well to the circumstances of these very unhappy events but also to the very comprehensive mitigation put forward on behalf of Mr Bodger.
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In addition to the striking off order Bodger was order to 3,750 in costs.
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