By Lucy Caulkett-
A solicitor who ‘threatened, manipulated and groomed’ a long-standing client he knew had severe health problems has been struck off the roll and fined £63k
Sole practitioner, Neil Adrian Aiston was found guilty by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for serious dishonesty. The Croydon sole practitioner who qualified in 1979 faces the shame of loosing his career over an act of greed and dishonesty. Record holders at the bar council declined to give more precise details about Aiston like his age and picture, citing data protection as its defense. The Eye Of Media.Com plans to challenge this misjudgment
Aiston persuaded his vulnerable client to make an unsecured loan of £175,000 to his client. However, the Client, whose identity has been withheld was unaware the money was then to go back to Aiston to fill a void in his own client account. Sole practitioner Aiston was in urgent need of funds as he was facing an intervention into his firm, the judgment said. Aiston’s actions were unprofessional and appalling, effectively bringing the legal profession to disrepute.
The tribunal said Aiston’s actions were at the ’highest level of seriousness’. ‘He had been a family solicitor to the client and his family for 40 years. He knew how much trust was placed in him and has exploited that trust,’ it said. The poor client victim said he felt ‘threatened, manipulated and groomed’ by Aiston and that he signed the loan document under duress.
‘‘The respondent lacked insight and blamed everyone but himself for his failings’, the tribunal stated
Aiston was also found liable for account rule breaches and failing in his duties as the chief officer for legal compliance. Aiston, who qualified in 1979 was a sole practitioner in Croydon.
He absented himself from the hearing but in a statement apologized ‘unreservedly’ to the affected clients. ‘For over 40 years I have always tried to do the best I can for my clients and I will always regret my actions in January 2015 and the mistakes I made towards the end of my career and how my career came to an end”. Regrets are always easy when caught in misconduct. Bottom line is this solicitor was a fraud