Lawyer's legal aid work ended

A SOLICITOR has permanently withdrawn from legal aid work following an investigation.

Niels S Lockhart, of Kilmarnock firm NS Lockhart Solicitors, was investigated by the Scottish Legal Aid Board and found to have submitted accounts that were "not consistent with the principle of working with 'due regard to economy'".

The board submitted a complaint to the Law Society of Scotland, resulting in Mr Lockhart agreeing to a "permanent and binding" withdrawal from legal aid. A spokesperson for the board said: "Public money has been protected as we have only paid the firm for work which we thought to be reasonable."