Solicitor cleared of £730,000 scam

A SOLICITOR has been cleared of helping to cheat Oldham Sixth Form College out of £730,000.

Andrew Wormstone was found not guilty in under two hours at the Old Bailey, of two charges involving the concealment and transfer of funds.

Wormstone received money from the college that was meant for a builder. Police arrested him after he transferred the funds to another account used to buy gold bullion.

Martin Hooper, prosecuting, said the money was sent to Wormstone’s law firm in Leeds after the college received a letter claiming its builder had changed bank accounts. After two days, most of the funds were transferred into the account of a “Mr Marshall”, who has never been traced. Oldham Sixth-Form College didn’t lose any money.

Wormstone (43), of Ashworth Road, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, denied concealing criminal property of £2,634, and transferring criminal funds of £730,000 in March last year.

He said he was acting for a client who contacted him by phone to arrange a loan. Wormstone told police he retained £2,634 as his fee and hadn’t suspected anything was wrong.


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