Solicitor pleads guilty to embezzling more than £21,000 from Edinburgh firm

At Edinburgh Sheriff court Paul O’Donnell, 34, from Glasgow, pleaded guilty to embezzling £21,485 from Thorley Stephenson between 2012 and September 2014.

Fiscal depute Gerard Duggan explained before Sheriff Frank Crowe that Mr O’Donnell had joined the firm following a period with a firm in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

But, when it appeared payments made to him from clients had not been lodged with the firm’s cashiers office, he was investigated.

Eleven clients had given Mr O’Donnell sums ranging from £750 to £1,800. He was arrested in February 2015 following an investigation by the police and the Law Society of Scotland.

Mr Duggan said the lawyer had told police that he “had had financial difficulties and was using the money for general expenses”.

Murray Robertson, defending, said no money had yet been repaid but that Mr O’Donnell, who has been declared bankrupt, was in the process of repaying and that his house was going on the market soon. The house is valued at £140,000, though there is still £78,000 outstanding on the mortgage. Mr Robertson explained the house was co-owned by Mr O’Donnell and his wife and that the former would get £50,000.

“He fully intends to pay the money back,” said Mr Robertson.

“He is no longer practising as a solicitor and has taken this on the chin.”

Deferring sentence until July, Sheriff Crowe said: “I will like to see that repayment has been made. The firm will have to repay the clients and retain their reputation”.