Guinness lawyer convicted

SOLICITOR Simon Easton, who acted for one of the Guinness trial defendants, has been convicted of false accounting at Southwark Crown Court.

Easton was found guilty of three counts of false accounting. The court heard he had submitted false invoices to claim legal fees for a client's divorce.

The invoices resulted in money being removed from the client's business and its pension fund.

Easton was a partner with Calow Easton in 1989 when the fraud took place.

The court heard he charged a total of u114,000 in fees for handling his client's divorce proceedings.

He submitted three invoices: one to the client for u68,000, another to the client's company for u26,000 and a third to the company pension scheme for u17,000.

He was released on unconditional bail until 22 December, when he will be sentenced. His solicitor, Michele O'Neill of Peters & Peters, is considering an appeal.

Easton had acted for Guinness defendant Thomas Ward.