Solicitor jailed for four years (From Free Press Series)

Solicitor jailed for four years

A DISGRACED solicitor has been jailed for four years for stealing more than £270,000 from the estates of dead people.

Russell Hiscott, 54, who practised in Monmouth, "had, on his own admission, systematically been using clients' monies since 1993," prosecutor Martin Kelly told Cardiff Crown Court.

He added: "All the money came from the estate of deceased men and women and put an added burden on those who survived them. This was a gross breach of trust."

Hiscott, formerly of Magor, who recently lived in Filton Road, Bristol, admitted nine charges of stealing £278,083 and one charge of false accounting.

The court heard that Hiscott had been struck off by the Law Society and was now bankrupt. Judge David Wynn Morgan told him: "You used the monies to settle liabilities after you had lost control of your financial affairs."

He said the trust placed in him by clients and victims had been absolute.

He said people had been caused anxiety and inconvenience and most were bereaved and vulnerable.

The judge added: "Those who behave like you lose your own reputation and tarnish that of your colleagues.

"You will never again be able to hold up your head in the community."

Mr Kelly said that the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors began investigating Hiscott's company in August, 2000. The Law Society intervened before Gwent Police fraud squad began investigations.

Hiscott was arrested in June, 2002 and interviewed on five occasions when the police traced bank and building society accounts.

Hiscott, said Mr Kelly, would use money of deceased people to set up building society accounts outside the running of his own business, unknown to his staff. He also created false invoices.

Hiscott's counsel, Michael Fitton, said: "He used much of the money to service bank debts and payments on endowment policies in which he had great confidence.

"But all he was doing was treading water."

It had been his intention, he said, to sell the business as a going concern.

Mr Fitton said his family had no knowledge of what was going on and were devastated to learn he had been living a secret life for nine years.

With hindsight, he said he should have declared himself bankrupt. He said, that what he did was "deeply disgraceful."