A woman who posed as a solicitor at numerous court hearings and in police stations is facing jail.
Sian Jacobs was said to have left “a trail of victims in her wake” over the six-month period in which she represented individuals in both family and criminal matters.
Described by one man’s family as a “charlatan and fraudster who exploited desperation”, it was said she had even “advised” him while he was at Medway police station to fake self-harm so he would be transferred to hospital, with his parents later being threatened with legal action if she was not paid for her “professional services”.
Maidstone Crown Court heard the “client” – Craig Capeling – was involved in legal proceedings at the town’s family court in 2017 when he was first approached by Jacobs as he sat at the back of a courtroom.
His retired father, Rodney Capeling, was then duped into forking out more than £5,000 for her supposed skills.
But sadly both men have since died without seeing the bogus lawyer being finally brought to justice.
Jacobs, who lives in Norwich, pleaded guilty to four offences of being an unqualified person acting as a solicitor between September 1, 2017 and January 12, 2018, and one of fraud committed between September 1, 2017 and February 28, 2018.
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