Former solicitor admits stealing over £70k from dead woman’s estate

Paul Downey has been facing 14 dishonesty offences spanning almost a year dating back in 2013.

In court on Friday, a defence lawyer asked for two of the charges to be put to the 66-year-old again — fraud by abuse of position and false accounting.

On the first count he admitted abusing his position of trust in order to defraud the executors of the will of Catherine Hayes.

And he did that by writing two cheques to himself totalling £28,000 and to steal credit in the sum of £73,844.

The former solicitor also admitted to false accounting, by stating that a cheque was in the name of John Hayes which was not the case.

The judge approved a request for the remaining 12 charges to be “left on the books” and for confiscation proceedings to be adjourned.

The case was adjourned until next month and Downey was told, that subject to his medical condition, he should appear in court.