A revered former lawyer has destroyed his legacy after he stole $420,000 from dead clients to prop up his failing business and unravelling finances.
Kevin Roache, a former director and principal at Coulter Roache Legal, admitted seven charges of obtaining property by deception after he funnelled money from two clients' estates into his travel business and a scam.
The 82-year-old was appointed as the joint executor and trustee of one client's estate, before he transferred a total of $300,000 from their trust into TransOtway Travel in 2018.
The travel company, which Roache owned, has since collapsed.
In 2019, he transferred $40,000 from another client's estate into TransOtway, and a further $80,000 to an elderly client he believed was involved in a money-making scheme that could garner him a solid return.
The scheme turned out to be a scam.
Roache made the transfers under the guise of legitimately distributing money to the beneficiaries of the estates, writing fake letters to recipients and leaving a false paper trail.
The lawyer of five decades' experience admitted what he did was "stupid and wrong", but initially denied his travel business was in financial strife, the County Court of Victoria was told on Tuesday.
Chief Judge Peter Kidd said Roache primarily used the money to pay off debts relating to his travel business, repay personal loans and pour money into what he didn't know was the scam.
The travel business made a loss most years outside of the odd small profit.
"You found yourself in a chaotic and desperate spiral of robbing Peter to pay Paul," Judge Kidd said.
"You deliberately obtained the trust funds knowing that you would never be in a realistic position to repay the amounts."
The 82-year-old's offending was an aberration in an otherwise revered career wherein he acted with professionalism and integrity,and was dedicated to helping those in need, the court was told.
The son of one of the dead people Roache stole from said he had lost complete trust in the legal profession following the 82-year-old's crimes.
"You come before the court today having destroyed your reputation and legacy," Judge Kidd said.
In sentencing, the judge took Roache's myriad of health issues into account, including his worsening dementia, which had left the former lawyer apathetic and likely to offend others.
He also acknowledged that facing jail at Roache's age - almost 83 - was a "dreadfully bleak prospect".
Judge Kidd sentenced Roache to a total of 28 months in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 12 months.
Roache agreed to sell off two of his properties to pay back the estates he stole from.
