Adelaide barrister Steven John Gareth Thomas struck off roll, faces jail after stealing $176,729 from church friend

AN Adelaide barrister who admitted stealing nearly $177,000 from a fellow parishioner after she made him executor of her estate and gave him power of attorney has been struck off the legal practitioners’ roll by the Supreme Court.

AN Adelaide barrister who admitted stealing nearly $177,000 from a fellow parishioner after she made him executor of her estate and gave him power of attorney has been struck off the legal practitioners roll by the Supreme Court.

Steven John Gareth Thomas, has admitted using some of the stolen cash to pay off his American Express card, his child’s school fees and his tax bill. Thomas, is also facing a jail sentence after pleading guilty in Adelaide Magistrates Court to 25 counts of aggravated theft in relation to his conduct.

He has also pleaded guilty to one count of perjury in connection with the falsifying of an affidavit he swore in an effort to cover up his theft from the estate of the elderly women he befriended at church.

Thomas was referred to the Supreme Court for disciplinary action following an investigation by Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Greg May. His investigation determined Thomas had engaged in professional misconduct “that could not be adequately dealt with’’ within his jurisdiction.

The Full Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Chris Kourakis, Malcolm Blue and Tim Stanley, heard Thomas met the woman he stole from, who has not been named, through his church in 2006.

In 2013, he was appointed her lawyer and executor of her will and gained online access to her bank accounts in January, 2016. The woman died in February, 2016. The court heard Thomas instructed another lawyer to act for him in the administration of the woman’s estate. On March 29 this year, that lawyer sought directions from the Supreme Court in relation to the estate after becoming aware of discrepancies in her accounts.

On March 30, the Supreme Court restrained Thomas from “disposing of or dealing with’’ any assets of the woman’s estate and from exercising any further power as executor. On the same day, Thomas agreed to indemnify the estate.

Court documents reveal Thomas stole $77,277 from the woman’s estate that went to his American Express card. A further $53,420 was paid into his bank account, $882 used for school fees and $34,000 to the Australian Taxation Office.

Thomas was charged with 25 counts of aggravated theft, one count of dishonest dealing with documents and one count of perjury on August 31 after he made admissions to police. He pleaded guilty when he appeared in court on October 27.

On September 8 this year, Thomas made full restitution of $176,729 to the woman’s estate after the Supreme Court action was lodged. In striking Thomas off the roll, the Full Bench said the restitution made by him “does not mitigate the need to protect the public’’.

“The gross breach of trust and dishonesty established by the above facts requires that an order be made ...’’ they ruled.

Thomas will appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court next month for sentencing submissions on the criminal charges.