Dublin solicitor who it was claimed used client monies to fund his gaming addiction is struck off

Today at 20:27

A solicitor who it was claimed used client monies to fund his gaming addiction has been struck off the roll of solicitors by the President of the High Court.

Patrick Delaney, who at one time practised out of Castleknock in Dublin, was found by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) last March to be guilty of professional misconduct for causing an actual deficit in client funds of over €1.53m.

Mr Justice David Barniville was told of a further potential deficit in client funds of over €767,401 being identified making a total apparent deficit in the client funds in the region of €2.29m as of September 2019.

Law Society of Ireland solicitor Mary Fenelon, who applied to the court for various orders including a strike off, told the court that the SDT had found Delaney guilty of professional misconduct on 14 different allegations, including that he misappropriated client funds “by engaging in a process of teeming and lading”.

He had misappropriated monies belonging to clients by way of payment to gambling websites, she said.

Ms Fenelon said the SDT also found that Delaney had caused claims of over €3.4m to be made on the Law Society Compensation Fund to May 2020 with over €925,000 discharged as of that date.

The SDT, which heard evidence from the Law Society investigating accountant, also found Delaney guilty of professional misconduct in relation to unauthorised cash withdrawals totalling €28,870 from the client back account, transferring professional fees when not in funds to do so, delay in redeeming mortgages and failing to keep proper books of accounts.

Ms Fenelon said that the last practising certificate for Delaney was for 2019. He had been admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1995 and carried on practice as Patrick Delaney Solicitors at Parkside House, Castleknock, Dublin.

She said the SDT was urged to recommend a strike off to the High Court and was told that Delaney engaged in a dishonest practice, took clients’ monies and used client monies to fund his gaming addiction.

The judge granted all the orders sought and said the sanctions were there to ensure the protection of the public and maintain the reputation of the solicitors profession.

He also granted the further sanctions recommended and ordered Delaney pay a total of €11,000 fines to the Law Society Compensation Fund as well as €1.5m as restitution to the society. He was further ordered to pay over €12,000 towards the society’s costs.