A DISHONEST solicitor, who helped himself to £19,000 from clients after they sent in the money to pay off medical bills, has been struck off.

Paul Rowlands, aged 35, pocketed the cash over a four-year period while working at law firms.

Between June 1997 and June 1998 Rowlands stole £2,565 while at Thomas Saul and Co, based in Bury Old Road, Whitefield.

On 89 separate occasions, Rowlands wrote out cheques in his own name and put photocopied cheques in the client files to give the impression that they had been sent to the intended recipients.

In many cases, the money had been sent in by clients to pay off medical bills.

Rowlands, who now lives in Coventry, admitted two charges of misappropriating clients' money.