A SCHEMING solicitor who created a fantasy client to fund his luxury lifestyle has been jailed for three years and nine months.

Silver-haired Ian Macfarlane, 45, earlier admitted 26 theft offences and asked for a further 137 charges to be taken into consideration, involving over £800,000.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Ian Fenny said the father-of-two had joined Blandford-based law firm Traill & Co in July 1996, specialising in conveyancing.

"He became a partner and built up a large and successful client base, enjoying a position of trust and confidence. That enabled him to perpetrate a fraud that, at times, had almost a farcical quality."

The court heard how Macfarlane of West Street, Winterborne Kingston, had been running a property management company with his wife and earning £644,865 during the seven-year scam.

Mr Fenny recalled how Macfarlane had opened a bogus Portman building society account in the name of Ian Revue, using a forged power of attorney, and put 164 cheques into the account totalling £825,064.

He explained how Macfarlane had siphoned clients' stamp duty into the bogus account, writing cheques for the same amount to I Revue instead of sending money to the Inland Revenue, which looked almost the same when scribbled on cheques.

Macfarlane's cover was blown after a company cashier became suspicious last April and alerted another partner.

"The fraud section of the Portman was investigating the operation of this account and by now the cat was well and truly out of the bag," added Mr Fenny.

"Following his arrest Mr Macfarlane insisted Ian Revue was a real man and even gave a full description of him to the police.

"Just under £250,000 of the fruits of this fraud went to his property management company.

"It is rather ironic that just under £57,000 was actually paid to the Inland Revenue. Just over £50,000 was paid to his daughters' schools."

Defending, Frank Abbott said: "In a few days time Mr Macfarlane will have £866,000 to pay to the losers."

He said the offences stemmed from his client's "lonely childhood and difficult upbringing", adding: "His brother died at an early age and as a child he manufactured imaginary friends.

"His father had a tremendous work ethic and he became an obsessive workaholic. He felt he was propping up the firm and always thought he was borrowing the money.

"Mr Macfarlane has lost his reputation and brought shame to his wife and children. Everyone who knows him is astonished."

The court heard how Macfarlane had psychiatric problems, a long-term alcohol addiction and deteriorating health.

Sentencing, Judge John Beashel said: "These offences plainly involved a gross breach of trust.

"Because people trusted you and thought you were an honourable man your dishonesty went unnoticed for all those years."

Speaking after the case, DC Paul Sullivan described Macfarlane as "a man who has lost everything; his family life, nice home and well-paid job", adding: "He was in a position of trust and he threw it all away because he worshipped the god money."

Bournemouth and District Law Society spokesman Alan Turle said the sentence reflected how Macfarlane had betrayed his position of trust by "embarking on a long series of deceptions of a financial nature".

He added: "Fortunately, it is extremely rare for a solicitor to act dishonestly."

First published: June 25