A PENNILESS Wiltshire solicitor who claimed he was "crucified" by the Law Society has received a further indefinite suspension for abandoning clients' files when he was evicted.

Michael John Read, 58, of 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 offices at Alexander House, 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 in the criminal field and went bankrupt in September 2001.

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

George Marriott, for the Law Society, said he was not alleging dishonesty against Mr Read, but that he had 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 Law Society is concerned that, after a solicitor ceases to practise, clients' interests are not prejudiced by the abandonment of their files."

Mr Read, who was defending himself, said he had never brought the profession into disrepute.

He denied threatening his landlord, saying: "I was not arrested for any public order matter. The police apologised to me for the position in which I had been wrongly placed. The landlord gained entry by way of his key."

Mr Read also insisted: "I have never abandoned client files."

He made several allegations against the Office For The Supervision of Solicitors, the Law Society."I have been crucified by this tribunal for the past 14 years," he said.

The tribunal found Mr Read did not threaten his landlord and he did not fail to discharge a debt.

But they did find that he abandoned clients' files.

Announcing the decision, chairman Collin Chesterton said: "We have found that the proper course is suspension indefinitely."

Tina Clarke