Former high-profile solicitor Tim Meehan sentenced to five years for fraud, falsifying records

FORMER high-profile criminal lawyer Tim Meehan has been sentenced to more than 5 years’ jail for crimes a judge says have brought the legal profession into disrepute.

Former Lawyer Tim Meehan appears at court. File picture

FORMER high-profile criminal lawyer Tim Meehan has been sentenced to 5.5 years’ jail for crimes a judge says have brought the legal profession into disrepute.

In sentencing the 41-year-old in the Brisbane Supreme Court, Justice Roslyn Atkinson said his actions serve to “feed the public perception that lawyers are greedy and self-serving”.

Meehan, whose clients included Brett Peter Cowan, pleaded guilty last month to one count of aggravated fraud of more than $30,000 and eight counts of fraudulently falsifying records.

The father-of-four collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payments from clients as part of a scheme to dodge financial reporting and bankruptcy obligations, before attempting to hide his tracks by falsifying records.

The court heard Meehan alleged two of his colleagues, known as “S1” and “S2,” were also involved in the scheme – claims they deny.

Meehan’s conviction may just be the tip of the iceberg, with the Crime and Corruption Commission investigation broadening to other firms and it is understood police are confident that others will face charges.

Justice Atkinson said the Crime and Corruption Commission investigation only kicked off after Meehan himself turned up to the watchdog last September -- one month after he was sacked from the law firm – and confessed.

“There was no investigation at the time that you did that,” she said.

“Your admissions largely related to matters that the investigators did not know about, and could not know about.”

“So the charges against you are based in no small part on what you told investigators…and that is very much to your credit.”

The court was told he made widespread allegations against colleagues, telling investigators he had taken the cash at the instruction of others at the law firm.

His visit to the CCC came one month after he was sacked – and just 10 days after The Courier-Mail exposed how the firm was taking legal action against Meehan amid accusations he took more than $160,000.

The court heard, following the collapse of another law firm in late 2011, Meehan claimed “S1” decided they should stagger their bankruptcy proceedings so Meehan could continue to represent a “high-profile” client without any issues.

Director of Public Prosecutions Michael Byrne said, while bankrupt, Meehan and “S1” were exposed to the possibility that half of earnings above $70,000 would be seized and distributed among creditors.

“It was therefore decided that they would limit their incomes -- at least on paper -- to that threshold amount,” he said.

“Due to the significant reduction in salary this represented for each of them, “S1” decided, according to the defendant, that he, the defendant and “S2” should encourage their clients to pay fees in cash.

“The cash was then to be distributed between the three of them, thereby circumventing trustee and bankruptcy obligations and surreptitiously increasing salaries to cover some of the shortfall compared to their earlier incomes.”

He said Meehan received approximately $626,470 in cash payments from clients over four years, of which about $200,400 was deposited into the law firm’s trust account.

He said Meehan claimed the remainder of cash was then split between him, “S1” and “S2”.

“In addition to that, [Meehan] speaks of having received cash proceeds which were initially received by others,” Mr Byrne said.

The court heard Meehan, whose motivation was “personal enrichment,” believed most of the cash was tainted property.

He was unable to put an exact figure on how much money Meehan personally received, but suggested it could be in the order of $500,000.

Justice Atkinson said today she accepted it was “somewhere in excess of $200,000”.

The court heard Meehan then attempted to cover his tracks by falsifying documents after the CCC launched confiscation proceedings against some of his clients.

Defence barrister Tony Glynn QC said yesterday his client’s prospects of practising again are “non-existent” and argued for four to five years’ jail, suspended after serving 12-18 months, given his plea.

Justice Atkinson said none of the clients were defrauded and each received the services of a “hard-working, competent solicitor”.

Taking into account factors including his very early plea to an “ex officio” indictment and his remorse, she sentenced him to 5.5 years jail, with parole eligibility after 18 months.

She said it’s a consequence that Meehan, who surrendered his practising certificate last year, is unlikely to ever work as a lawyer again.

Queensland Law Society president Christine Smyth said his actions had left an indelible stain on the legal profession.

“It is extremely disappointing when any lawyer abuses the trust and faith members of the public place in them and as an officer of the court deserves the harsh penalty imposed by the Supreme Court of Queensland,” she said.

“Justice Roslyn Atkinson is a very experienced judge and the sentence she has imposed reflects just how dimly the courts and the justice system views crime committed by lawyers.

“The criminality in this case is nefarious and the sentence imposed reflects just that. It also takes into account a range of other considerations, including Mr Meehan’s full cooperation with the administration of justice and his full cooperation with investigating authorities and his entering of a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

“In cooperating Mr Meehan has demonstrated that, at least in part, he appreciates the damage he has caused to the community’s faith in the justice system.”

Meehan will be eligible for parole in December 2018.