Ex-Geelong lawyer Kevin Roache jailed after stealing $400k from dead clients

An ex-Geelong lawyer, who was once a principal at one of the city’s biggest firms, has been jailed for stealing $400k from dead clients’ estates.

Former lawyer Kevin Roache has been jailed. Picture: Alison Wynd

A former partner at a prominent Geelong law firm has been jailed for at least a year after he admitted to stealing $400,000 from dead clients’ estates.

Kevin Edward Roache, 82, earlier this month pleaded guilty to taking money from the trusts of two deceased estates during his time at Coulter Roache – now Coulter Legal – and creating a paper trail to cover his tracks.

Victorian County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd sentenced Roache on Tuesday to 28 months’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of one year.

“You come before the court having destroyed your reputation and legacy,” he said.

The court heard Roache, who has since been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, funnelled the money through the bank accounts of a now-defunct travel company he once directed.

Money was used to prop up TransOtway Travel, which went bankrupt last year, used to repay loans from friends and also given to an elderly client who was allegedly the victim of a “bizarre” financial scam.

One estate was robbed of $300,000 and he took $120,000 from another.

Judge Kidd labelled the offending “abhorrent”, saying it involved a “significant breach of professional trust”.

“You knew the offending was wrong,” he said.

“Your conduct was sophisticated and systematic.”

Compensation orders were issued to repay the stolen money, funded through the sale of

Roache’s family homes in Newtown and Anglesea.

The court heard character references painted Roache as a “formidable representative” for clients who operated with “professionalism and integrity”.

Judge Kidd said the onset of Roache’s dementia was difficult to pinpoint but it, coupled with the defendant’s age and other health issues, would have made a prolonged prison sentence “more onerous”.

The Warrnambool-born ex-lawyer surrendered his practising certificate last year, in light of separate civil VCAT action involving a loan borrowed from a different client.

At the time, he’d been practising law for more than 50 years.

He retired from Coulter Roache in August 2021, having previously been stood down from his position in light of the pending civil action.

Judge Kidd also made mention of Roache’s longlasting community service, early guilty plea and “deep” shame and remorse over his actions.

The longtime philanthropist has worked with the Committee for Geelong, Anam Cara House, Barwon Health and is a former Bendigo Bank director.

Without the guilty plea, Roache would’ve been sentenced to four years and fourth months imprisonment.

Originally published as Ex-Geelong lawyer Kevin Roache jailed after stealing $400k from dead clients