Former lawyer Phil Shiner receives suspended sentence for legal aid fraud
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has reported that a former human rights lawyer, Phil Shiner, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud at Southwark Crown Court. Shiner defrauded the Legal Services Commission by failing to disclose breaches of his legal aid contract and professional code when applying for funding. He fraudulently obtained nearly £200,000 for two claims, while his firm received approximately £3m in total legal aid funding. The CPS will now pursue confiscation proceedings to recover the proceeds of Shiner's fraud. This case highlights the CPS's commitment to prosecuting fraud against public sector bodies.