Jail for Stourbridge solicitor who stole £30,000 from law firm

Jan 7 2009 by Chris Henwood, Birmingham Mail

A SOLICITOR has been jailed for 18 months for stealing £30,000 from the Midland family-run law firm where he worked.

Dad-of-two Richard Baker, 55, admitted taking the cash from Attwoods in Cradley Heath after he ran up debts following his divorce.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the theft left the law firm in serious financial difficulties. It was also told Baker, from Mountain Ash Drive, Stourbridge, became depressed after the break-up of his marriage.

Baker gave his ex-wife the family home and moved into a flat where he was paying more rent than his mortgage. He then got behind with his workload at Attwoods and incurred penalties for the firm. The theft of £30,000 was not discovered until July 2006. The solicitor was automatically suspended by the Law Society, but he failed to notify his employers. “It is quite obvious you were unable to cope with the changes,” Recorder Rachel Brand QC told dad-of-two Richard Baker. “I have no doubt your divorce was the trigger for this fall from grace.”