BOGUS SOLICITORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23269, 11 February 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOGUS SOLICITORS

Imposition on Aged Practitioner Who Had Suffered Misfortune

THERE were tears in the eyes of an old grey-haired solicitor as he heard two men sentenced at Middlesex Sessions. But they were tears of joy and relief, not of sadness. For the conviction of the men, who had used his name and professional qualifications to obtain money by false pretences, meant that hi 3 honour had been sustained.

IN the course of a four-day hearing it was revealed that the men, Edward Hurst Richardson, 45, insurance broker, of Lansdowne Road, Hounslow, and Jules Albert, 47, insurance broker, of Portsdown Road, Paddington, took a one-roomed office in High Road, Chiswick, and placed on the door a plate with tho name "John Pickles, solicitor." The room was filled with law books nnd Richardson ordered stationery from tho Law Society with Pickles 1 namo, tho Chiswick address, and an address in Antwerp on it. # In evidence, Mr. Pickles, a Bristol solicitor, stated ho agreed to the opening of the office, but when ho found there was no room for him there, 110 withdraw his authority for Richardson to act for him. "Nevertheless, according to Mr. l'rederick Levy, who prosecuted, the two men continued to carry on a legal business at tho address, drawing up mortgages, making wills, and briefing counsel. Sat Behind Counsel in Court On ono occasion Richardson had tho audacity to attend at Ealing Police Court and sit behind counsel, instructing him in a husband and wifo case. Richardson's defence was that on the dates covered by the charges ho was acting for Mr. Pickles. Albert declared he took no part in tho legal side of the business, merely sharing tho room with Richardson as a partner in a property business. Mr. St. John Gore Mickletliwaite, K.C., summing-up to the jury, observed that Mr. Pickles was an old solicitor

Who fell on bad times, went bankrupt in 1932, and, as a result, lost his practising certificate. There was no suggestion ho was it bad man or did shady work. It was just misfortune. After boing discharged from bankruptcy in 1936 ho regained his certificate and was naturally anxious to resume work.

Richardson offered to open an office for Mr,-Pickles in London and put work in his way, and there was no doubt 110 agreed. Was it mere philanthropy which prompted Richardson to make such an offer or had ho some other object ? After a short retirement, the jury found Richardson guilty on six charges and Albert guilty on four. Detective-inspector A. Hawkyard, of Scotland Yard, told tho Court that Richardson was married, with one child. Some Legal Training It was known that for some years he had made a living by forming companies, about which complaints had been made by many people, Who had parted with money. Ho had had some legal training. In 1925, when he was acting as a turf commission agent in High Street, Putney, bankruptcy proceedings were started against him, but ho failed to appear for examination. A tipstaff's warrant was issued, but he had avoided arrest for 13 years. Albert lived apart from his wife. His correct name was Jules Albert Cohen. In the name of Cohen 110 was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1935 of fraudulent conversion. Ho had traded as an estate agent, and tlioro had been complaints about the way 110 conducted his business.

Passing sentence of 12 months' imprisonment on Richardson, Mr; Micklethwaite remarked that he had no doubt he used Mr. Pickles as a cat's-paw to carry out the frauds.

Albert had plavod only a minor part, but' ho had given the impressiongjie was Richardson's confidential cleric. Ho would go to prison i'or nine months. After the case, the young woman who paid the two men £2O for advice about her contemplated breach of promise action stated that- they took every penny she had. "I gave them my lovo letters, and they told me I should get at least £SO damages after all costs had been paid," she declared.

They wanted another £lO, but fortunately I had not got it. "1 was in love with a young soldier. When ho came home from India, lie married another girl, i have now dropped the' proceedings against him."