Ex-lawyer ‘too sick’ to be in court
FORMER Meter Maids 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.
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.
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.
Mr 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.