Solicitor struck off after £445,000 cash 'mystery'

Susan Neville was found to have dishonestly used the money for herself, for the benefit of unknown third parties and for swopping clients' funds between accounts.

A solicitors' disciplinary tribunal hearing in London was told the accounts at the former Neville and Jones Partnership where Mrs Neville was a partner were chaotic.

As well as being struck off, Mrs Neville, of Victoria Drive, was also ordered to pay 24,800 in costs towards the tribunal's expenses.

Her partner in Neville and Jones, Thomas Jones, escaped being struck off.

Tribunal chairman Mr J Glass said the tribunal accepted he had no say in the partnership's accounts.

However, Mr Glass said: "It was not enough for him to say he had trusted Mrs Neville when there were such clear signs his trust might have been misplaced."

Mr Jones, of Brooklands, Pagham, was fined 5,000 and ordered to pay 2,700 costs.

Neither Mrs Neville nor Mr Jones were working as solicitors when the hearing took place.

Action by the Law Society against Neville and Jones, whose office was on High Street, began in March 2006.

An investigator from the society started to inspect the partnership's accounts.

Sufficient concerns were raised for the society to intervene in the partnership a year later.

The report of the hearing '“ where Ian Ryan spoke for the authority '“ states: "The books of account had not been properly reconciled for at least three years prior to the inspection.

"The officer also identified that a number of cash shortages on client accounts had existed at different times."

These shortages totalled 445,863.44 between January 8, 2004, and August 31, 2006.

"Because of the chaotic state of the books, it was not possible to identify with any degree of accuracy how or where monies were used," the hearing account states.

I was wrong - but no clients suffered financial loss

Away from the hearing, Susan Neville said the troubles started when she paid VAT using funds from the partnership's client account.

"I know this was wrong, but can only say I was acting under great pressure at that time. I always intended to fully repay the money. At the time my office was closed down by the Law Society, I had, in fact, repaid a considerable amount.

"This was a 'one-off' situation caused by external pressures as well as the pressures of running the practice.

"Never at any time did I take any money for my own personal use. I can assure you no clients have suffered any financial loss whatsoever through my actions."

Mrs Neville acknowledged she had let matters slip in her practice because of a breakdown caused by various events in her personal life.

She had been made bankrupt by the actions of the Law Society, which had taken away her ability to earn a living in the law after more than 25 years of practising law in Bognor.

For his part, Mr Jones said: "With the fine and costs, I have suffered a considerable financial loss because of the actions of Mrs Neville."

He attended the practice only once a week as a consultant when the account irregularities occurred.

"Mrs Neville had sole management and control of the practice and the accounts," he said.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP