GAZETTE & HERALD: PENNILESS solicitor Michael Read, who claimed he was crucified by the Law Society, received a further indefinite suspension on Tuesday for abandoning clients' files when he was evicted.

Mr Read, 58, of Greengate House, 87 Pickwick Street, Corsham, was suspended indefinitely in September 2002 for refusing to comply with orders made by the Law Society.

In 1998 Mr Read, who used to work as a sole practitioner from an office at Alexander House, 19 Fleming Way, Swindon, was taken to court for alleged abuses of the Legal Aid system but it was decided there was no case to answer.

He practised almost exclusively in the criminal field and went bankrupt in September 2001.

Yesterday he appeared before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal accused of abandoning client files, swearing at and threatening his landlord on the day of his eviction from 17 Clifton Street, Swindon, and failing to discharge a debt by agreed instalments.

Outlining the case, George Marriott for the Law Society said he was not alleging dishonesty against Mr Read but told the tribunal that Mr Read has displayed abusive behaviour, failed to pay his rent and when asked about client files by his landlord said: "Put them on the tip."

Mr Marriott said: "The substantive allegation against him relates to the abandonment of files. The Law Society is obviously very concerned that after a solicitor ceases to practise, clients' interests are not prejudiced by the abandonment of their files."

Mr Read's landlord Anthony Foxley gave evidence to the tribunal and in cross examination by Mr Read, who was representing himself, said: "The bailiffs called the police officer because of your aggression and swearing and refusal to leave. You addressed the bailiff and said 'As for that f ing bastard over there' you were trying to get past the bailiff to reach me."

Mr Foxley denied that he and Mr Read later "passed the time of day" in Somerfield supermarket.

He added; "It was clear to me that the bailiff had to physically restrain you to prevent you gaining access to the property or to me."

In his defence Mr Read said: "There have been within my previous history matters that were totally unfair because I have never deliberately gone out of my way to bring the profession into disrepute and in my submission I never had brought it into disrepute.

"My mother was able to help me with the first part of my rent. I have been suspended from practice and that prevented me getting work. I had to disclose even to a non-legal job that I had been subjected to disciplinary proceedings."

The tribunal found Mr Read did not swear at or threaten his landlord and also found that he did not fail to discharge a debt by agreed instalments. But they did find that he abandoned clients' files.