Barrister jailed for stealing £70,000 (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Barrister jailed for stealing £70,000

8:40am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News

A leading criminal barrister who took more than £70,000 from his own chambers after his sideline property business fell into “financial carnage” has been jailed for three years.

David Friesner, 46, admitted taking £72,500 from 9 St John Street Chambers in Manchester, after his finances spiralled out of control in early 2008, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Friesner caused a furore last month after he represented a client on trial at Bradford Crown Court while awaiting sentence as, at that time, the Bar Standards Board had not suspended him from practising.

At his sentencing hearing at the Leeds court yesterday, a judge heard that he had a property business of almost 20 houses valued at around £7.5 million in 2008, with just under £4 million of mortgages.

When the credit crunch began to hit lending institutions that year, his problems began to mount – especially as he had up to £1 million in unsecured loans he had used to finance the refurbishment of properties.

The court was told that Friesner became increasingly desperate, taking out crippling bridging loans, some charging two per cent a week.

At this point, the judge heard, he convinced the chambers' finance director to forward him a series of 12 payments, telling her they were loans.

Friesner, of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, who was deputy head of 9 St John Street, had no authority to demand the cash, the court heard.