A Kilkenny solicitor has had his accounts and assets frozen following a high court claim that he dishonestly took up to €850,000 from the estate of a client who had deceased.
Padraig Butler of Jenkinstown in County Kilkenny but who practises on 10 Patrick Street in the city has also been suspended from practising until a further hearing on the case on Monday next.
At this Monday’s hearing at the High Court it was heard that Mr Butler had taken over €1million in fees from the deceased woman although he admitted that the more appropriate fee was €500,000, however a law society approved accountant told the court that he believed that the appropriate fee was closer to €300,000.
Speaking in the court this week the accountant, Tim Bolger, said that the society had been contacted by Mr Butler's own solicitor and as a result an investigation ensued on Tuesday last week.
During the investigations it was found that €1.194m in fees had been drawn on the account of a dead client, whose estate was worth some €4m.
The executors of the estate were not privy to the records of fees drawn down on the clients affairs.
Following the discoveries earlier this week Mr Butler claimed that he was unable to repay the fees and an emergency meeting of the Law Society's Regulation of Practice committee was told that the society did not know where the money had gone.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly said he was satisfied on the evidence that there was a prima facie case made of dishonesty on the part of the solicitor.
The case is due before the president of the High Court on Monday.
