High Court:A solicitor who misappropriated almost €70,000 of client funds and allowed a €271,000 deficit to arise on his client account has been struck off for misconduct by the High Court.
James M Sweeney (58), formerly practising as James M Sweeney Solicitor, Cabra Road, Phibsboro, Dublin, said various withdrawals made from his client account were “for my own purposes” and the money was lost gambling.
“I am a compulsive gambler. I have an addictive personality and have succumbed to alcohol addiction in the past but overcame it,” Sweeney said in an affidavit.
“I very much regret my actions and failures resulting in my situation and I propose to address and restitute the client account deficit of €271,000 and counsel’s fees of €20,000 as a priority,” he said.
Sweeney yesterday asked the president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, not to impose the “ultimate sanction” of striking him off and to give him an opportunity to make restitution.
The judge, while noting Sweeney’s difficulties arose from his gambling addiction, said the sequence of facts laid out by the Law Society revealed “very, very grave offences”.
Nessa Bird for the Law Society said it believed the danger of allowing Sweeney to practise in order to make restitution was “too grave”.