SOLICITOR’S LAPSE

Southland Times, Issue 21577, 15 December 1931, Page 8

SOLICITOR’S LAPSE

CHARGES OF FRAUD. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, December 14. A former Auckland solicitor, Percival John Scantlebury, aged 46, was charged in the Police Court with fraudulently omitting to account for or pay to the Superintendent of the State Advances Department, Wellington, £609 17/- received from Walter Glasgow, of Te Atatu. It was further alleged in three additional charges that accused fraudulently omitted to account for other sums of money amounting to £306 entrusted to him by clients.

Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike said that on December 2 he interviewed accused who made a written statement admitting the offences. On December 10 accused, whose affairs were in the hands of the Official Assignee, Auckland, told witness that he had book debts amounting to £450 which were estimated to produce £250. If these debts were realized, said witness, the deficiency would be reduced accordingly. Accused had given the police every assistance.

The Magistrate, Mr Hunt, committed the accused, who pleaded guilty, to the Supreme Court for sentence. In July last accused was convicted on charges of making a false audit certificate and a false statutory declaration in respect of his trust account and with causing the Crown Law office, Wellington, to act upon these documents as if they were genuine. He was sentenced to be detained for reformative purposes for a period not exceeding three years.