Sydney lawyer Sonny Wilson struck off for swindling thousands from Legal Aid NSW
A western Sydney lawyer has been banned from practising after he falsely invoiced Legal Aid NSW for more than $30,000.
Sonny Wilson, a Liverpool solicitor, charged Legal Aid for barristers' and translators' fees on behalf of his clients when no such work was provided.
Between 2012 and 2013, he misappropriated trust funds and made five false certifications to the service, which has struggled with federal funding cuts. Several times Mr Wilson told Legal Aid that barristers had appeared in court when Wilson himself represented his clients.
On Monday, the Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Wilson guilty of "egregious" dishonesty. The solicitor, pictured below with rugby league great Darren Lockyer, had his name struck off the roll of NSW lawyers.
Mr Wilson, representing himself, did not formally oppose the removal of his name but asked for a suspension instead.
"I am willing to learn from my past mistakes and errors," he said in an affidavit. "Hopefully I can obtain another opportunity in the near future to practice as a solicitor and to be of some use and benefit to others."
The tribunal found his dishonesty was so extensive they had no option but to remove his name from the roll.
"Despite his good intentions, we are far from satisfied he has achieved this redemption in the relatively short time that has elapsed since his practising certificate was suspended," the tribunal panel wrote.
But the panel said Mr Wilson's chance to return to law "may not be lost forever". He is now studying full-time for a three-year degree in theology at Alphacrucis College in Parramatta.
The tribunal's decision came one year after the Productivity Commission recommended the Abbott government add $120 million to legal aid services around Australia. The government is yet to respond to the recommendation. (8/9/2015 Sydney Morning Herald)
我時常都不明白澳洲的法律怎樣執行，上面這則新聞所講的案情，是清楚不過的騙財案，律師自己上庭卻聲稱延聘大狀，騙取法援額外律師費，也騙取翻譯文件費，明顯不過的騙取金錢，竟然不作刑事檢控，除牌了事，確實便宜。這種嚴重違反誠信的行為，普通人干犯，坐監機會極大，律師違反，理應更加嚴重。當然，香港方面，我以前也寫過唐汝駿案(有前科律師盜竊)，兩人都是明目張膽(egregious 套用審裁處的字眼)地幹。兩人也有共通之處，唐汝駿在教會做執事(以前同我老媽同教會)，上面那仁兄聲稱去讀神學。唉！陳振聰也扔棄了天圖佈局，改信基督。這些摩十誡，豬八戒，用得著時順手拈來。貪財騙錢，圖方便就因父之名。別講是上帝這可以光明正大拿出來晃動的幡旗，利之所在時，賊也可認作父。話時話，舊年單大嘢入咗去踎嘅都係虔誠教徒，未入去嗰個唔怪得知猛咁祈禱囉。
A western Sydney lawyer has been banned from practising after he falsely invoiced Legal Aid NSW for more than $30,000.
Sonny Wilson, a Liverpool solicitor, charged Legal Aid for barristers' and translators' fees on behalf of his clients when no such work was provided.
Between 2012 and 2013, he misappropriated trust funds and made five false certifications to the service, which has struggled with federal funding cuts. Several times Mr Wilson told Legal Aid that barristers had appeared in court when Wilson himself represented his clients.
On Monday, the Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Wilson guilty of "egregious" dishonesty. The solicitor, pictured below with rugby league great Darren Lockyer, had his name struck off the roll of NSW lawyers.
Mr Wilson, representing himself, did not formally oppose the removal of his name but asked for a suspension instead.
"I am willing to learn from my past mistakes and errors," he said in an affidavit. "Hopefully I can obtain another opportunity in the near future to practice as a solicitor and to be of some use and benefit to others."
The tribunal found his dishonesty was so extensive they had no option but to remove his name from the roll.
"Despite his good intentions, we are far from satisfied he has achieved this redemption in the relatively short time that has elapsed since his practising certificate was suspended," the tribunal panel wrote.
But the panel said Mr Wilson's chance to return to law "may not be lost forever". He is now studying full-time for a three-year degree in theology at Alphacrucis College in Parramatta.
The tribunal's decision came one year after the Productivity Commission recommended the Abbott government add $120 million to legal aid services around Australia. The government is yet to respond to the recommendation. (8/9/2015 Sydney Morning Herald)
我時常都不明白澳洲的法律怎樣執行，上面這則新聞所講的案情，是清楚不過的騙財案，律師自己上庭卻聲稱延聘大狀，騙取法援額外律師費，也騙取翻譯文件費，明顯不過的騙取金錢，竟然不作刑事檢控，除牌了事，確實便宜。這種嚴重違反誠信的行為，普通人干犯，坐監機會極大，律師違反，理應更加嚴重。當然，香港方面，我以前也寫過唐汝駿案(有前科律師盜竊)，兩人都是明目張膽(egregious 套用審裁處的字眼)地幹。兩人也有共通之處，唐汝駿在教會做執事(以前同我老媽同教會)，上面那仁兄聲稱去讀神學。唉！陳振聰也扔棄了天圖佈局，改信基督。這些摩十誡，豬八戒，用得著時順手拈來。貪財騙錢，圖方便就因父之名。別講是上帝這可以光明正大拿出來晃動的幡旗，利之所在時，賊也可認作父。話時話，舊年單大嘢入咗去踎嘅都係虔誠教徒，未入去嗰個唔怪得知猛咁祈禱囉。
去年六月，有香港人倪志榮者，支持當局的「東北發展」計劃，打傷反對的市民，裁判官李紹豪贊譽有加，並把「暴力」美名為「武力」：「被告現居廣州，仍然關懷香港社會，為法庭所樂見，唯不應用武力而已。」於是，倪志榮獲輕判罰款三千元。
回覆刪除而也是去年六月，有香港人黃根源、葉寶琳、張漢賢者，反對當局的「東北發展」計劃，和和平平，硬闖立法會抗議，裁判官也是李紹豪，卻出言譏諷：「被告的動機，即使正當不過，但所為違法，雖然博得攝影機一時的鎂光，卻無補於事。大眾只見其違法行徑。」於是，三人全遭重判入獄，由一個到三個星期不等。
-- 古德明
你想我評論，我估計不易，因為就算同一件案，不同被告由不同法官審，disparity也可以很大。
刪除唐汝駿律師偷自己個客D錢無人性！
回覆刪除不要一竹篙打一船人。所謂「虔誠」教徒是他們自己封的稱號，小妹作為基督徒的角度道，只有上帝才訂到誰是虔誠。況且自稱教徒不一定是好人，所謂好人亦未必成為教徒，正如我和你一樣。標少的冷靜分析頭腦受了什麼刺激哩。
回覆刪除Sar
咁啱隨手都攞到一堆咋，無代表性嘅，佢哋都刺激唔到我，刺激到上帝啫。
刪除