A FORMER solicitor who was jailed for his part in a £426,000 insurance scam has now been struck off.

Nadir Suleman, who worked for Farleys in Blackburn, was banned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after deeming his behaviour amounted to serious misconduct.

Suleman, of Clement Road, Preston, was put behind bars for four years in April last year after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud.

The charges related to false medical claims that were found on his computer and a fraudulent insurance claim he had made after his wife’s car had been written off.

In a letter to the disciplinary panel, Suleman wrote: “I am fully aware the mistakes I have made will potentially result in me being struck off the solicitors roll. However I am of the view that my mistakes were out of character and due to a lack of effective supervision from my employer.

“I would like to apologise for my conduct and how I have brought the profession into disrepute. I am more than happy to undertake this reform and rehabilitation as punishment from my conduct. I would be grateful if my licence is not revoked, and that instead specific conditions are attached so that I am able to continue in my employment as a solicitor and help those that are in need.

“There is no real explanation of my conduct apart from a stupid mistake that I have made and regret for the rest of my life. I now want to help the profession and to give back to it what it has lost as a result of my conduct. I have lost everything. I have lost my career which I had worked so hard for.”

In its judgement the chairman of the independent SRA panel wrote: “Mr Suleman had been motivated by greed. The offence was, by definition, pre-planned and Mr Suleman had breached the trust of others by his actions.

“The tribunal noted that he was of sufficient experience to know that committing a criminal offence was serious misconduct. The harm caused was substantial. The figures were very significant and the damage to the reputation of the profession was very high in any case where a solicitor conspired to defraud.

“The matters were aggravated by the fact that Mr Suleman had been convicted of an offence of dishonesty. His conduct had been deliberate, calculated and repeated and the nature of the offence involved concealment.”

Suleman was ordered to pay £846 costs.