Veronica Margaret Hyland

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

The Respondent, a probate solicitor, forged a client's signature on a second Enduring Power of Attorney and produced false attendance notes and a false letter for the file. After the client's husband died, she held sole power of attorney over the vulnerable client's affairs and used the forged EPA to obtain monies, stealing over £90,000 from the client and also stealing from her employer by substituting herself as payee on cheques. She was convicted at Stafford Crown Court on 4 December 2009 of four counts of theft, eleven counts of fraud by abuse of position, and one count of using a false instrument, and sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment plus £38,500 compensation. The Tribunal found both allegations proved and admitted, expressly found her conduct dishonest by the Twinsectra test, and struck her off the Roll.

Duties found breached:

• No baseless or threatened misconduct report
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Pre-meditated fraud on a vulnerable and incapacitated client
• Very serious breaches of trust
• Theft from both clients and employer
• Criminal conviction with 28-month custodial sentence
• Considerable adverse publicity locally and nationally
• Outrageous exploitation undermining public confidence

Mitigating factors:

• Admitted all allegations
• Did not contest proceedings / asked for matter to be dealt with in her absence