MAURICE EUGENE FRICHOT
JurisdictionAustralia — Western Australia
BodyLegal Practice Board of Western Australia (LPBWA)
Professionlawyer — GPO Box L890 PERTH WA 6842
Case numberRe A Practitioner; Ex Parte the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal [2001] WASCA 204
Date18 June 2001
HearingSupreme Court of WA
OutcomeStruck Off the Roll of Practitioners
Allegation / charges
Struck Off the Roll of Practitioners
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionStrike Off
Dishonesty foundYes
The practitioner pleaded guilty in the District Court to 92 offences of stealing $291,422.75 from the Australian Paralympic Federation Incorporated, of which he was a board member and sole signatory to its trust account, and was sentenced to 3.5 years imprisonment. The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found him guilty and not a fit and proper person to practise law. The Full Court, emphasising the protective (not punitive) nature of discipline, ordered him struck off the Roll despite his previous unimpeachable record. He did not appear but admitted guilt and apologised.
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Total amount stolen $291,422.75 over 92 offences
- Gross breach of trust committed by a lawyer of high standing
- Funds used for personal expenses and gambling addiction
Mitigating factors:
- Previous unimpeachable record
- Admitted guilt and apologised to the Tribunal