A SOLICITOR’S THEFTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 52

A SOLICITOR’S THEFTS.

TRUST MONEY’S APPROPRIATED. GISBORNE. July 22. John Noden Bullard, a solicitor, was charged before Air E. C. Levvey. S.M., in the Police Court this morning with fraudulently omitting to account for sums aggregating £l3OB. It was alleged that the offences were spread over three years. The accused conducted his own case, and stated that he intended to plead guilty. Detective M'Leod. stated that the accused had been in practice in Gisborne under the name of Mann and Bullard. The amounts mentioned were in respect of rents collected by the accused for clients, and for which he bad failed to account. The audit in March, 1926, disclosed a deficiency. From a statement made by the accused, he had endeavoured to pay off the amounts, but realising the impossibility he gave himself up to the police in June this year. He admitted that £6OOO was owing to various firms or private creditors. Since giving himself up he had assisted the police in framing the charges. Evidence was given by various clients and others who had paid money at the accused’s office.

William Hamilton Irvine, accountant, in evidence, said that in March. 1926. he reported for the, Law Society in regard to the defendant's trust account. There was a shortage on March 31 of £6764, and this he reported. At January 31, 1927, a further audit disclosed a deficiency of only £1256. In auditing the trust ledger he found the dealings impossible to understand without an explanation from the defendant, and this was not forthcoming. The cash book was not kept as it should have been, and could not be reconciled with the bank. “I simply wish to affirm the statement handed in. I plead guilty to all the charges,” said Bullard, who was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on 10 charges of theft by misappropriation.

lhe prisoner, in his signed statement to the inspector of police, stated that he had paid up demands on the firm after th e death of his partner, although in !P a ,”A". fffese eases he had no personal liability for the shortages. For this purpose he borrowed money from relatives temporarily used clients’ moneys, lhe borrowed moneys were used in a hopeless attempt to save an impossible situation.