Solicitors jailed after being convicted of fraud

Two Worcestershire solicitors have been jailed after being convicted of fraud and perverting the course of justice.

Diljit Bachada, 45, was the principal solicitor at Hollies Solicitors in Bromsgrove. She was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to four and a half years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of fraud and two counts of perverting the course of justice.

Tharinjit Biring, 41, who also worked at the Birmingham Road firm, was sentenced to 19 months after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The charges were brought Crown Prosecution Service following an investigation into an incident in May 2013 when a woman was sent contracts signed by Bachada and herself as part of a legal claim for more than £20,000.

Subsequent examinations found that the woman’s signature had been forged.

The victim had also worked for Hollies Solicitors but resigned in August 2012 which led to a dispute between her and Bachada over money she claimed she was owed.

In response, Bachada made a claim against the victim for £20,486.35 for breaching her contract of employment.

The court was told two contracts were attached to the claim, both signed by Bachada and, apparantly, the victim herself.

After suspecting something was wrong, the victim alerted the police.

The investigation showed discrepancies including an incorrect Law Society copyright and a differences in dates, with the contracts apparently being signed seven months after a legal clause in them had come into effect.

On the firm’s website, Bachada describes herself as “Head of Police Station Department & Regulatory Department”.

It adds: “I am the Principal of the Practice, and work as both a Solicitor and a Solicitor Advocate before the Crown Courts and also the Civil Courts.

“My specialist area of work is that of Criminal Defence and I represent clients from the Police Station to the Magistrates right through to the Crown Court offering full advice, assistance and continuity throughout my client’s case.”

She goes on to say she is the Head of the Professional Regulatory Department, offering advice and assistance to professionals appearing before their regulatory bodies, such as the GMC, GDC, GTC and NMC.