Bent brief gets boot

A rogue lawyer who handled a criminal trial at Paisley Sheriff Court has been kicked out of the profession.

Paul Garrett, 47, acted as a solicitor despite being banned.

He had been made bankrupt over unpaid legal fees and did not renew his practising certificate.

In 2018, Garrett, of Finnieston, Glasgow, was fined £ 1,000 at the city’s sheriff court for representing clients in criminal cases after his certificate had expired.

He was struck off by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal after a hearing found him guilty of professional misconduct.

Garret had appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court on various occasion in 2016 while he had no right to.

The tribunal ruled: “His appearance before Sheriffs at Paisley and Hamilton where he held himself out to be a qualified solicitor was dishonest and likely to bring the profession into disrepute.

“His action lacked honesty and integrity.”