A SOLICITOR who did not turn up at the High Court yesterday in relation to proceedings against him by the Law Society has had his practising licence suspended.
President of the High Court Mr Justice Richard Johnson said Kieran McCarthy, of Maryborough Lodge, Maryborough Hill, Douglas, Cork, and Watergold Buildings, Douglas, “had not bothered” to turn up before him and he would therefore suspend his practising certificate.
The court heard previously Mr McCarthy had not furnished his 2003 accounts to the Law Society until the end of 2005, 17 months after he was supposed to have done so.
The society had been concerned about breaches of his client account, including the payment of an ESB bill from it, Paul Anthony McDermott for the society told the court on January 12th last.
When the accountant’s report was received, there was no deficit in his accounts although a sum of €35,455 had been overpaid to a client, the court heard.
Mr McCarthy, who was in court on January 12th, said this was the result of a capital gains tax being paid out to a client by mistake. He also told the court he had been involved in a serious car accident and that was the reason for the delay in furnishing his accountant’s report.
The court also heard last month the society had not been previously informed of these reasons because Mr McCarthy had failed to turn up at Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearings which found him him guilty of failing to furnish the report in time and of failing to comply with his statutory obligations.
Consequently, the tribunal had recommended to the High Court he be censured. He told the court last month he would furnish the society with affidavits outlining the reasons for the delay and the case was adjourned until yesterday.
The judge ordered his licence be suspended and adjourned the matter for a week.