TUAM SOLICITOR SUSPENDED FOR MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS

Date Published: 15-Jun-2008

A Tuam solicitor has been suspended after misappropriating more than €100,000. According to the Sunday Business Post James P Murphy of Ballygaddy Road, Tuam, admitted keeping cash which he received from clients for legal costs.Murphy also admitted taking instructions in relation to a will from an elderly man in a nursing home who could not speak or write, where the potential beneficiary had already made two unsuccessful attempts to take control of the man's money.In a separate and unrelated case, a Mountbellew solicitor was disciplined for failing to comply with undertakings given to banks and building societies in relation to property transactions.Joseph Fahey of Mount Bellew was found guilty of misconduct for failing to comply with an undertaking to ACC Bank to stamp, register and lodge deeds of charge and transfer in relation to a property in Co Galway.