A CRISIS-hit Huddersfield lawyer ended up in a homeless hostel after he was beset by personal and business problems, a tribunal heard.

Now Sohrab Taheri has been suspended by the legal world’s disciplinary board.

Iranian Taheri, 44, was working for Ali and Co at Westgate, Huddersfield, when he took time off to fly home and deal with personal matters, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal heard.

Taheri, who had only been with the firm for two months, said he would be off for four weeks, but stayed away for three months.

While he was away, a client contacted the firm and said he had given the lawyer money in advance for work that was never carried out.

The client withdrew his complaint when his money was refunded by the firm.

Mr Robert Roscoe, for the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, said: “There were several personal problems being suffered by the respondent.”

Taheri set up his own firm in Leeds shortly afterwards, but it soon collapsed and Taheri defaulted on his insurance payments.

Mr Roscoe said: “Inquiries by The Law Society revealed the offices apparently had been abandoned. He left the premises and does not have a practising certificate.”

The business, at Roundhay Road, Leeds, has since been taken over by The Law Society as a non-functioning practice.

Repeated attempts had been made to contact Mr Taheri without success, Mr Roscoe said.

Private detectives managed to find Taheri’s estranged wife, who told them he was living at the homeless hostel at Upper Barker Street, Liversedge.

The tribunal found proved allegations that Taheri had failed to act in the best interests of his clients and failed to promptly deal with correspondence from The Law Society.

Chairman Lawrence Gilford ordered Taheri should be suspended indefinitely without comment.

In addition to the suspension, Taheri was ordered to pay costs of £3,260.