The former credit control manager of Pump Court Chambers ("PCC") has been accused of diverting money owed to barristers into her bank account. Gillian Goodfield worked for PCC until June 2024.
Goodfield was in control of the bank account used to pay barristers their fees for over five years. However, after she left her employment, PCC discovered Goodfield had made payments herself £2.75 million.
When confronted about the transfers she admitted it, insisting that she regretted her wrongdoing.
At the first hearing, PCC asked for an anonymity order to be granted, which, it was, but at the high court judge Charles Morrison overturned this as he was ‘uncomfortable’ with the matter being held in private. Whilst PCC argued that it could damage the Chambers reputation, and cause barristers to seek alternative chambers judge Morrison did not think this was a strong enough reason for maintaining the anonymity order.
PCC issued the following statement: "Pump Court Chambers has discovered it has been the victim of a fraud by a former member of staff. This fraud took place some time ago and did not impact upon the operational running of Chambers. Upon discovery we took immediate and decisive recovery action. We are pursuing all legal avenues vigorously.
As the matter is now in the hands of the police, we are unable to comment further at this time."
The accused said the money taken was used to fund her lifestyle.
Proprietary and freezing orders on Goodfield’s assets have also been issued.
judge Morrison said: "I should say that Mrs Goodfield, who was throughout the hearing showing no little signs of distress, made no attempt to resist the orders asked for.
Her demeanour was consistent with the approach taken in her written evidence which was that she could not quite come to terms with the scale of her wrongdoing which she could now so very clearly see."
It seems that PCC did not have simple, but robust, accounting processes in place would have prevented this kind of fraud. No doubt PCC have now taken steps to prevent it happening again but who knows whether Goodfield's assets will be sufficient to plug the financial loss.
Sadly, the author saw an example of this type of fraud when working at a well known firm of accountants in the 1990's. Perhaps readers who are in business will check their payment procedures in the next few days.