THREE YEARS’ GAOL

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1932, Page 6

THREE YEARS’ GAOL

SOLICITOR'S THEFT OF £ll4

THE PROPERT Y OF A CLIENT.

(i er Press Association — Copyright )

AUCKLAND, November 10,

A sentence of three years’ hard labour was parsed by Mr Justice Herdman’ on Charles StAvurt Leahy, a solicitor, who Was found guilty of stealing £ll4 from omen of his clients. The judvie said that a solicitor s training, work aiui! knowledge of legal 'principles should enable him to under;,tnml more dearly than any other man that, in the base of a practising lawyer, rectitude is the first es ential, and that a solicitor covered himself with everlasting disgrace, who, by being false to lvis trust, fell to the level of a common felon. The- prisoner had a- good practice and apparently had ability, if he had no principle. It weft men like him who brought a rein:table calling info disrepute. As the result of lvis behaviour, hundreds of honourable practitioners indirectly suffered.

“It is difficult to decide how conduct of this kind can be effectually guarded against. Punishment may do something. Probably, tlie insistence upon preliminary training, under the eye of "Tfi experienced lawyer who know- - something of the history and the traditions of law, would do more, hut this concerns, legislature, and not me.”