A former solicitor has been jailed for orchestrating a £160,000 fraud scheme over three years that saw more than 300 clients deceived into paying money into her personal bank account instead of her law firm’s.
Fiona Parsons, 54, was sentenced to 30 months in prison at Worcester Crown Court on April 24 after admitting to fraud by abuse of position.
Her deception came to light when two homebuyers received payment demands for property searches they had already paid for in September 2020. The discovery triggered an investigation revealing hundreds of similar fraudulent transactions.
Parsons had systematically diverted funds intended for her firm, a Hereford-based law practice, into her own account between 2020 and 2023. Police arrested her in March 2023 following an in-depth investigation by Hereford CID and West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit.
Detective Constable Cathryn Blake said the fraud “not only put customers out of pocket but the business too,” emphasizing it was a gross “abuse of trust” and professional position.
Parsons, from Henver Road, Newquay, Cornwall, will also face a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing to potentially recover the stolen money.
