Former Meter Maid boss accused of acting as a lawyer despite being struck-off in 2015
Former Meter Maid boss and struck-off lawyer Michael Yarwood acted as a solicitor conducting negotiations and attending legal conferences despite not being registered, a court has been told.
Crime and Court
Don't miss out on the headlines from Crime and Court. Followed categories will be added to My News.
FORMER Meter Maid boss and struck-off lawyer Michael Yarwood acted as a solicitor conducting negotiations and attending legal conferences despite not being registered, a court has been told.
Yarwood faces a potential prison term if convicted of two charges of acting as a legal practitioner.
He was struck off and barred from acting as a lawyer in 2015.
Yarwood had previously spent time in prison for fraud, meaning a conviction could send him to prison again, the court was told.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN FOR JUST $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS
Despite the risk, Yarwood did not turn up to Southport Magistrates Court for the start of a scheduled two-day hearing yesterday, instead telling his lawyer he was sick and in hospital.
Yarwood’s solicitor Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said Yarwood was suffering severe mental health issues and was now receiving treatment in Brisbane.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said the documents provided by Mr Gatenby were not enough to satisfy the court he was not fit for court.
OTHER NEWS:
Mum’s beach nightmare: ‘It’s been the worst week of our lives’
Star sues high roller over multimillion-dollar gambling debt
‘Fake doctor’ steals cars, cash in $200k crime spree
But, he said, because Yarwood risks a prison sentence, the matter could not be heard in his absence.
He adjourned the matter to April 16.
Magistrate Sinclair gave Yarwood two weeks to provide the right medical material or risk being arrested again.
During the hearing barrister Deborah Holliday, acting for the Legal Services Commission, told the court Yarwood was reported to the Legal Services Commissioner after two legal practitioners noticed him acting as a lawyer in a civil matter between May and June 2016 and February and October 2017.
She said Yarwood sent emails purporting to act for a “client” in a matter, attended conferences and helped with negotiations.
The “client” later represented themselves in court.
In Queensland, it is a criminal offence to present or act as a lawyer unless admitted to the Supreme Court.
Vicious public assault ‘could not be stopped’
A man who "couldn't be stopped" when he grabbed his partner by the hair and dragged her 100m through a Gold Coast shopping centre car park has now faced court over two dozen charges.
‘I’m not going to promise you anything’
A mother facing a string of drug offences was perhaps too honest with a magistrate yesterday after she initially couldn’t guarantee being on her best behaviour.