Bogus lawyer Giovanni di Stefano convicted on 25 charges of fraud and deception

[John]

Bogus lawyer nick-named the 'Devil's Advocate' for taking on unwinnable cases has been found guilty of fraud at Southwark Crown Court.

A jury of eight women and four men took four hours and 10 minutes to reach a verdict.

Di Stefano was found guilty of nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, eight counts of fraud, three counts of acquiring criminal property, two counts of using a false instrument, one count of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception, one count of obtaining property by deception and one count of using criminal property.

Di Stefano shook his head sadly as the damning verdicts were announced by the jury of four men and eight women after four hours and ten minutes.

The two-month trial heard how Di Stefano had associated himself with some of the world's most evil men.

He said he had "enjoyed a friendship" with accused war criminal Milosevic's daughter and lived in the former Serbian president's home in 1993.

He recounted a ten-minute meeting with Bin Laden in Baghdad's al-Rashid hotel in 1998, during a trip to meet Saddam Hussein when he was President of Iraq.

The BBC documentary, entitled Notorious: The Devil's Advocate, was also played to jurors during the trial showing Di Stefano boasting about his infamous clients.

He joked about being known as "Mr Murder" during a phone call to discuss representing mass killer Jeremy Bamber, who was jailed for life for the murders of five family members.

http://news.stv.tv/tayside/219210-ex-dundee-football-club-director-giovanni-di-stefano-guilty-of-fraud/

[John]

Di Stefano attracted clients to swindle after the documentary was broadcast, including convicted killer Paul Bush who was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2003 for murder.

Convicted cocaine smuggler Laurent Penchef lost 10,000 euros in June 2005 after Di Stefano agreed to lead his bid to be moved to France to serve his 18-year jail sentence. The money was sent to a bank in Rome by Penchef's parents, but prosecutor David Aaronberg QC said: "Mr Di Stefano did little or nothing to assist."

"Each of those people gave Mr Di Stefano, either directly or indirectly, money which they would never have given him if they had known that he was not a qualified lawyer", said Mr Aaronberg.

"He had no formal legal qualification whatever, so the prosecution case is that he was never entitled to describe himself as an avvocato at all."

Di Stefano fleeced ten clients out of nearly £1m after claiming he was an "avvocato" between 2004 and 2012. But he was no more a qualified lawyer than he was a "surgeon qualified to perform surgery or pilot qualified to fly an aeroplane", said Mr Aaronberg.

He admitted in evidence he was not a qualified lawyer, but said he only realised this "in hindsight".

Di Stefano, of Marshside, Canterbury, Kent, had denied the allegations against him.

[John]

Hilary Ryan from the CPS Organised Crime Division, said:


“For many years, Giovanni Di Stefano described himself to potential clients as a lawyer and usually as an Italian ‘avvocato’. He was nothing of the sort.

“When the law caught up with him, he falsely claimed to have obtained various formal, legal qualifications. He then went on to claim that having taught himself the law, he was entitled to describe himself as a lawyer. This was fraud by anyone’s standards and a charade that he kept up for over eight years in order to line his own pockets.

“People rightly expect the utmost integrity from those in the legal profession. Giovanni Di Stefano routinely tricked his clients and abused their trust. Those who seek to behave in such a cynical way should take note of this conviction today.”


http://blog.cps.gov.uk/2013/03/bogus-lawyer-giovanni-di-stefano-convicted-.html#tp

[John]

Giovanni di Stefano was today sentenced to a term of 14 years following his unanimous conviction on 25 charges of fraud and deception yesterday.  Under the current rules he will serve a minimum of two thirds of that term or 9 years and 4 months. 

A pretty hefty sentence so clearly they have attempted to make an example of him.

[Nicholas]

There's a six part documentary currently on the BBC called "unsolved - the man with no alibi, about the murder of Jong Oki Shin

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jong-Ok_Shin

"Two legal advisors who have worked on the case at some stage have since been imprisoned for deception and fraud – one of them currently serving a 14-year sentence

Giovanni De Stefano represented Omar Benguit before the second appeal and made the application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5408145.Oki_murder__bid_to_quash_conviction/

The main prosecution witness from Benguits trial appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show. She's referred to as BB in the TV doc.http://metro.co.uk/2011/09/21/jeremy-kyle-show-evidence-proves-wrong-man-went-to-jail-for-murder-157278/

"Three trials and two appeals later Benguit is still in a category A prison where he will remain past his 20 year tariff as admitting guilt and undertaking appropriate offending behaviour courses are part of the system’s requirements for being re-categorised and eventually eligible for release.http://www.thejusticegap.com/2015/11/omar-benguit-i-would-rather-die-than-admit-to-something-i-havent-done/

Omar Benguit was attacked in prison by murderer Stuart Hazel; Benguit had lost an eye in a previous prison attack https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/convicted-killer-who-murdered-12-11189082

Benguit, who was jailed for life for the 2002 killing of South Korean student Jong-Ok Shin in Bournemouth, previously Lost his right eye in an attack in another jail.

His sister, Amy, from Dorset, told the Mirror he was attacked because he has always maintained his innocence.

She said: "Omar didn't do anything provocative. Hazel just ran at him and jumped on him and started hitting him with something in his hand.

Omar Benguits brother was arrested in connection with Paul Bradshaws 1995 murder.

Further reading: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/256479/Did-priest-help-to-hide-body-of-killer-s-victim

"our digital age, pretty much every human encounter with officialdom is captured and documented. An audit trail is left enabling transparency and accountability whether we want it or not. Except when it comes to our legal system and where the stakes could not be higher and the need for accountability and transparency could not be more obvious.

In the case of Omar Benguit there are no transcripts of his three trials apart from four pages of the judge’s sentencing remarks in the 2005 trial (available for £1.58 form the court transcription company).
http://www.thejusticegap.com/2017/01/lost-system-case-omar-benguit/

I'd like to see Omar Benguits prison files and learn more about him, his family and their background. Why did Omar Benguit turn to drugs in the first place? What are the family dynamics?

[Nicholas]

Interestingly the CCRC used a company called Forensic Access in relation to the appeals of Barry George, Omar Benguit & Simon Hall to name a few.

"For crime buffs, parents and most people over a certain age, the name Roy Whiting will need no introducing. Twelve years ago he kidnapped and murder Sarah Payne, an angelic looking eight year old. As a convicted sex offender, Whiting was on the list of usual suspects, and following some impressive detective work he was quickly brought to book. Whiting stood trial at Lewes Crown Court in November and December of 2001; he was convicted and given the mandatory life sentence. The case against Whiting looked strong but not overwhelmingly so, however, he did not appeal, and three years later he admitted casually to the murder. This came about when Whiting testified against Rickie Tregaskis. Tregaskis was serving a life sentence in Wakefield Prison for kicking a man to death. He seemed to think that gave him the right to slash Whiting's face. The court disagreed, and he was convicted.
Last year, double murderer Gary Vinter decided he too should hand out summary justice to Whiting in addition to the child killer's life sentence. Vinter murdered a workmate in 1996, and his estranged wife 12 years later. In July last year he appears to have attempted to blind Whiting, and also subjected him to a vicious attack in his cell. Unlike Tregaskis, Vinter pleaded guilty, and duly saw his sentence extended.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/337444#ixzz5AqZVMkzl

Like Jeremy Bamber, Omar Benguit has been attacked by fellow inmates.

I do not believe Benguits sisters theory that her brother was set upon because he was maintaining innocence.

I'd like to see the details of both Bambers prison attack and Benguits. Giovanni De Stefano made much of Bambers attack in the media at the time but to date we've only heard one side of the story.

[Nicholas]

"The man who runs the Sherlock Holmes Museum has launched a bizarre investigation to try to clear a notorious murderer.
John Aidiniantz has spent thousands of pounds – made from tourists at the museum – on preparing an appeal for the man who murdered Dr Lin Russell and her daughter Megan and left her other little girl, Josie, for dead

"Other forensic investigations funded by the museum have already borne fruit. Omar Benguit who was jailed in 2005 for murdering a Korean student has had his conviction been sent back to the Court of Appeal

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2541854/Boss-Sherlock-museum-launches-10-000-bid-clear-Lin-Megan-Russells-killer-conviction-Holmes-choke-pipe.html#ixzz5Aqdr07LS


Anyone remember this? http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,8686.0.html

And this http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6896.30

And this http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=8881.0

And this http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=8728.45

I wonder if the museum ever helped fund Bamber?

Further reading:
"Mrs Aidiniantz set up the museum 25 years ago in central London at 221B Baker Street, one of the most famous addresses in fiction.
But her two daughters and a son accused their older brother, John, of “robbing” their mother of her shares in the museum, leading to bitter litigation.
John Aidiniantz, 69, launched the latest in a long series of legal actions in October against his sisters and brother, seeking to vary the terms of a ruling on his ailing mother’s care.
His application in the highly-secretive Court of Protection was opposed by his three younger siblings amid extraordinary claims that if Mr Aidiniantz were granted unrestricted access to his mother he would withdraw her medication and end her life.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/12027238/Sherlock-Holmes-Museum-founder-dies-of-broken-heart.html

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2016/1076.html

https://stage.mandy.com/uk/theatre-professional/profile/john-aidiniantz

ThIs is interesting -

http://www.tariqsiddiqi.co.uk

http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/obituaries/14142973.Grace_Aidiniantz

http://www.courtofprotectionhub.uk/cases/aidiniantz-v-riley-2015-ewcop-65

[Nicholas]

So not unlike Mike T and Giovanni De Stefano, John Aldinantz is a convicted fraudster.

"THE founder of the Sherlock Holmes Museum who was sued by his family over millions in admission fees is being investigated by police over allegations of fraud, theft and blackmail. Father-of-two John Aidiniantz, 58, was taken to court last year by his 86-year-old mother Grace Riley over nearly PS2 million of ticket and gift shop receipts from the London attraction.

"Mr Aidinantz is a convicted fraudster who was given a three-year jail sentence in 1994 over a PS1.2 million mortgage swindle. The family claimed he misappropriated museum funds, while he insisted they had no entitlement to the takings and in turn alleged PS175,000 of other cash had gone missing, taken by others in the family.https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-386780644/sherlock-s-not-so-elementary-investigation-after

I received an email from the Shelock Holmes museum some years ago. I need to dig it out.

More here: https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/uk.legal/x-XHNJpdZOI/VgRVv8myFgsJ

http://www.homepage-link.to/justice/

http://m.digitaljournal.com/article/307870

https://www.4newsquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Rollerteam_Ltd__anr_v_Riley.pdf

[Nicholas]

There's a six part documentary currently on the BBC called "unsolved - the man with no alibi, about the murder of Jong Oki Shin

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jong-Ok_Shin

"Two legal advisors who have worked on the case at some stage have since been imprisoned for deception and fraud – one of them currently serving a 14-year sentence

Giovanni De Stefano represented Omar Benguit before the second appeal and made the application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5408145.Oki_murder__bid_to_quash_conviction/

The main prosecution witness from Benguits trial appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show. She's referred to as BB in the TV doc.http://metro.co.uk/2011/09/21/jeremy-kyle-show-evidence-proves-wrong-man-went-to-jail-for-murder-157278/

"Three trials and two appeals later Benguit is still in a category A prison where he will remain past his 20 year tariff as admitting guilt and undertaking appropriate offending behaviour courses are part of the system’s requirements for being re-categorised and eventually eligible for release.http://www.thejusticegap.com/2015/11/omar-benguit-i-would-rather-die-than-admit-to-something-i-havent-done/

Omar Benguit was attacked in prison by murderer Stuart Hazel; Benguit had lost an eye in a previous prison attack https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/convicted-killer-who-murdered-12-11189082

Benguit, who was jailed for life for the 2002 killing of South Korean student Jong-Ok Shin in Bournemouth, previously Lost his right eye in an attack in another jail.

His sister, Amy, from Dorset, told the Mirror he was attacked because he has always maintained his innocence.

She said: "Omar didn't do anything provocative. Hazel just ran at him and jumped on him and started hitting him with something in his hand.

Omar Benguits brother was arrested in connection with Paul Bradshaws 1995 murder.

Further reading: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/256479/Did-priest-help-to-hide-body-of-killer-s-victim

"our digital age, pretty much every human encounter with officialdom is captured and documented. An audit trail is left enabling transparency and accountability whether we want it or not. Except when it comes to our legal system and where the stakes could not be higher and the need for accountability and transparency could not be more obvious.

In the case of Omar Benguit there are no transcripts of his three trials apart from four pages of the judge’s sentencing remarks in the 2005 trial (available for £1.58 form the court transcription company).
http://www.thejusticegap.com/2017/01/lost-system-case-omar-benguit/

I'd like to see Omar Benguits prison files and learn more about him, his family and their background. Why did Omar Benguit turn to drugs in the first place? What are the family dynamics?

John Aldinantz's Website re Omar Benguit can be found here:http://www.omarbenguit.co.uk

"One person who has asked this question more than most is John Aidiniantz; if that name sounds familiar to you, it may be because you read his Digital Journal interview of June 12. His (for the moment small) Omar Benguit website can he found here. Describing himself as a legal student rather than a scholar, he was until recently the Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Museum. The creator of unarguably the world’s most observant detective, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, famously believed in fairies. It is the view of Mr Aidiniantz that both the police and the Crown Prosecution Service have not only closed their eyes and their minds to the demonstrable evidence in this case, but will believe anything that suits them.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/311898#ixzz5Ar1fb2yM

Interestingly Trudi Benjamin also now refers to herself as a "legal student."

[Nicholas]

Interestingly the CCRC used a company called Forensic Access in relation to the appeals of Barry George, Omar Benguit & Simon Hall to name a few.

"For crime buffs, parents and most people over a certain age, the name Roy Whiting will need no introducing. Twelve years ago he kidnapped and murder Sarah Payne, an angelic looking eight year old. As a convicted sex offender, Whiting was on the list of usual suspects, and following some impressive detective work he was quickly brought to book. Whiting stood trial at Lewes Crown Court in November and December of 2001; he was convicted and given the mandatory life sentence. The case against Whiting looked strong but not overwhelmingly so, however, he did not appeal, and three years later he admitted casually to the murder. This came about when Whiting testified against Rickie Tregaskis. Tregaskis was serving a life sentence in Wakefield Prison for kicking a man to death. He seemed to think that gave him the right to slash Whiting's face. The court disagreed, and he was convicted.
Last year, double murderer Gary Vinter decided he too should hand out summary justice to Whiting in addition to the child killer's life sentence. Vinter murdered a workmate in 1996, and his estranged wife 12 years later. In July last year he appears to have attempted to blind Whiting, and also subjected him to a vicious attack in his cell. Unlike Tregaskis, Vinter pleaded guilty, and duly saw his sentence extended.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/337444#ixzz5AqZVMkzl

Like Jeremy Bamber, Omar Benguit has been attacked by fellow inmates.

I do not believe Benguits sisters theory that her brother was set upon because he was maintaining innocence.

I'd like to see the details of both Bambers prison attack and Benguits. Giovanni De Stefano made much of Bambers attack in the media at the time but to date we've only heard one side of the story.

His sister Amy, from Dorset, said: “Omar didn’t do anything provocative.
“Hazell just ran at him and jumped on him and started hitting him with something in his hand. Luckily he couldn’t get hold of a knife. It was a very nasty attack.”
She added: “Some prisoners resent Omar because he absolutely maintains his innocence."


Has Amy seen her brothers prison record detailing the offence and/or any police reports linked to it? What do they record?

Are the Benguit family in denial and do they have family secrets that they are too ashamed to talk publicly about? What do Omar Benguits Psychological reports say about him? Why is he still in an A Cat prison after 20 years? We know from the Simon Hall case that prisoners can and do progress through the prison system whilst maintaining innocence.

Link to Jeremy Kyle news article https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BiszoCdQaV4

[Nicholas]

His sister Amy, from Dorset, said: “Omar didn’t do anything provocative.
“Hazell just ran at him and jumped on him and started hitting him with something in his hand. Luckily he couldn’t get hold of a knife. It was a very nasty attack.”
She added: “Some prisoners resent Omar because he absolutely maintains his innocence."


Has Amy seen her brothers prison record detailing the offence and/or any police reports linked to it? What do they record?

Are the Benguit family in denial and do they have family secrets that they are too ashamed to talk publicly about? What do Omar Benguits Psychological reports say about him? Why is he still in an A Cat prison after 20 years? We know from the Simon Hall case that prisoners can and do progress through the prison system whilst maintaining innocence.

Link to Jeremy Kyle news article https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BiszoCdQaV4

The main prosecution witness in the Benguit case has had a raw deal not unlike Julie Mugford in the Bamber case.

Why should Benguits claims of innocence be believed over BB's evidence? He was a junkie then too!

According to Omar Benguit, he was so messed up on drugs he's never been able to remember what he did on the night of the murder?

"The internet – social media in particular – has given platforms and publicity to those who claim to have been wrongfully convicted. Yet, as Woffinden points out, the web has also had a negative effect, because there are now hundreds of sites dedicated to claims of miscarriages of justice. “The whole history of miscarriages of justice in the UK in the postwar era was based on the ‘top of the pile’ principle,” he argues. “A case reached the top of the pile. It was focused on; it was rectified. Another case then took its place at the top of the pile. Now there are far too many cases jostling for attention, with the result that no case gets adequate attention. As the newspapers’ ability to campaign on these issues has been weakened, so they are less inclined to publish stories that they think aren’t goinganywhere. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/02/rough-justice-who-looking-out-wrongfully-convicted

"a six-part series for BBC Three, Unsolved: The Man With No Alibi sees journalist Bronagh Munro examine whether Benguit may be innocent and investigate his family’s claims that he was framed. In a second series of BBC Three's hit strand Unsolved, Munro tracks down the witnesses who gave evidence against Benguit, and investigates whether a serial killer may have carried out the murder.http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2018/13/unsolved-the-man-with-no-alibi

"It is not a coincidence that poor circumstantial evidence forms the basis of several alleged wrongful convictions. Stone and Benguit are only two examples of a long list of cases. The reason they stand out is that there was only one ‘star witness’ in each case and the reliability of those witnesses has been seriously questioned before, during and after the trials. In Criminal Law Review article (2005), following Stone’s unsuccessful appeal in 2005, Leake and Ormerod stated in relation to Daley’s testimony that: “The ease with which such evidence can be fabricated and with which it can be admitted at trial stands in stark contrast with the rigours of the PACE regime regulating the admission of police-recorded confession evidence.”

There is a need to exercise extreme caution when prosecuting cases based on circumstantial evidence and this applies to two scenarios in particular. The first is where the crime itself is of such a nature that it would be reasonable to expect physical evidence, such as the fatal stabbing of Oki Shin and the vicious attack on the Russells. The second is where the lack of physical evidence contradicts the circumstantial case against the suspect, such as in the convictions of Stone and Benguit. The fact that no physical evidence has ever been found to link either convicted killer to the crimes, even though these were crimes where such evidence could arguably be expected, is very significant. There is room for more than reasonable doubt in both cases, such as the lack of supporting physical evidence, and these issues need to be fully explored within the context of new appeals.http://www.thejusticegap.com/2016/02/circumstantial-evidence-making-murderer-english-style/

[Nicholas]

From my viewpoint men like Bamber and Benguit jump on the back of each other's claims of "plausible deniability" and those who promote their claims are either naive/ignorant, con men/women, attempting to further their careers/self promoting etc etc..

I am not suggesting that ALL those who maintain innocence are guilty. I am saying however that people like Bronagh Munro, Duncan Campbell and Marika Henneberg (see below excerpts) appear to be behind the times and have a lot of catching up to do in many areas. There approach at times appears blinkered and narrow minded. I wonder if they have ever stopped to think if their work could be gravely undermining the claims of many of the "genuinely" innocent; as Duncan Campbell claimed the Simon Hall confession did?

My point is that nothing appears to have been learned by these people following the significance of the Simon Hall confession and indeed the investigative work some of us on forums like this have achieved over the years and the mistakes made in the process. They appear to approach claims of innocence in the same way many of us here and elsewhere have before them - objectivity does not always seem clear.


Manika Henneberg: "Omar Benguit has now spent more than 5,000 days in prison for the murder of Oki Shin. The crime itself is utterly tragic. A young Korean female died after being stabbed on her way home from a nightclub in Bournemouth in 2002.
I would argue that what followed was a second tragic series of events that has made a mockery of justice. I am currently investigating Omar’s case and am convinced he was wrongfully convicted.
At the end of last week, the Open Justice Charter was launched comprising a series of demands for greater transparency and openness in our justice system.
The charter, which features in the latest issue of Proof magazine, has been drafted by Emily Bolton, founder at the Centre for Criminal Appeals together with Marika Henneberg from Portsmouth University, Dr Dennis Eady from Cardiff School of Law and the journalist Louise Shorter.


Dennis Eady and Julie Price wrote articles following the Hall confession via TheJusticeGap. And let's not forget Julie Price was the Univesities co-ordination for the INUK between 2005-10. Many of these Law schools, organisations and online magazines seem to be incestuous places and as such biased, in other words they appear excessively close and resistant to outside influence.
Here's a link to the charter http://www.thejusticegap.com/2016/12/ojc/

Of course there are still one or two in denial or have a personal agenda, so it's not in their interest to choose a side so to speak. But I disagree strongly with the way in which it appears some of those within the MOJ community have turned a blind eye to, or attempted to brush under the carpet, the error of their ways and the errors of those before them - Dr Michael Naughton springs to mind and all those involved in the last ever BBC Rough Justice documentary.

"Rough Justice was a BBC television series which investigated alleged miscarriages of justice. It was broadcast between 1982 and 2007, and played a role in securing the release of 18 people involved in 13 cases involving miscarriages of justice.[1] The programme was similar in aim and approach to The Court of Last Resort, the NBC TV series that aired in the US between 1957 and 1958. It is credited with contributing to the establishment of the Criminal Cases Review Commission in 1997.[2] Rough Justice was cancelled in 2007 due to budget restraints, leading to criticism from the media as the announcement came just as the BBC launched an £18 million Gaelic-language channel which would serve only 86,000 viewers.[3]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_Justice_(TV_series)

Who is looking after the best interests of BB (the main prosecution witness) in the Omar Benguit case for example? Where is her side of the story? Do these people even care?

When are the Criminal Cases Review Commission going to publicly follow up on all the cases they refer to the Court of Appeal where convictions are upheld?

What lessons are they learning, if any?

I agree that demands for greater transparency and openness in our justice system should be made, but it cannot be one sided. Those making the demands need to be equally transparent and open. Instead they appear more focused on furthering their own causes and personal agendas.

"Munro has discovered new evidence that suggests that Benguit’s conviction could be unsafe
However, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Callaghan refuted the claims.
He said: ‘Aspects of this case have twice been scrutinised by senior judges at the Court of Appeal. During neither of these appeals were allegations made of officer wrongdoing and nor was it concluded that someone else other than Omar Benguit was responsible for the brutal murder of Jong-Ok Shin.
‘We fully support all the officers who were involved in this case and thank them for their professionalism and diligence in helping to bring a safe conviction against Omar Benguit. As always, our thoughts are with Oki’s family and friends who remain devastated by their loss.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5539265/New-appeal-launched-following-2002-murder-Jong-Ok-Shin-TWO-key-witnesses-revoke-statements.html#ixzz5Bi1wMmLa

[Nicholas]

Lord Justice Rose said: "Usually, documents of this kind emanate either from a member of the Bar of England and Wales or a solicitor with higher rights of audience. Mr Di Stefano doesn't appear to be in either of those categories. How does it come about that he submits advices to this court?"

Mr Lynch later told the judges that Mr Di Stefano had power of attorney from Palmer to instruct lawyers in this country. But Lord Justice Rose was still not satisfied and asked when Mr Di Stefano qualified as an advocate in Italy. Mr Lynch said he did not know. The judge then said: "He has been conducting this appeal. That's the position, isn't it? We shall consider what, if anything, further needs to be done."https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/criminal-lawyers-right-to-practise-queried-by-judges-75669.html

[Nicholas]

I wonder if Bamber hired De Stefano because he'd claimed he would defend satan?

http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6931.0

[Nicholas]

"A self-styled ‘lawyer’ who built notoriety, fame and the nickname ‘the Devil’s Advocate’ for  the type of cases he took on has today been jailed for 14 years for a catalogue of crimes including deception, fraud and money laundering following a long running City of London Police investigation.

Giovanni Di Stefano had no legal qualifications yet had developed a reputation among both the criminal underworld and with some lawyers in the legal community as a man who was willing to provide services to clients whose cases were otherwise considered too difficult to win or defend.

Yet Italian-born Di Stefano was not registered as a bona fide lawyer in either Britain or Italy, despite using the word ‘avvocato’ to suggest that he was the equivalent of a lawyer and operating under the company name Studio Legal Internazionale, which translates as ‘International Law Firm’.

According to the Law Society, Di Stefano was not listed as either a registered European or foreign lawyer and neither was he registered in the Ordine degli Avvocati in Rome.

Di Stefano, aged 57, from Marshside, Canterbury, but who had previously lived in both London and Rome, came to the attention of specialist fraud detectives at The City of London Police in 2005 after the Law Society passed on a financial misappropriation complaint made by a client he had engaged.

A painstaking seven year inquiry followed that resulted in the City of London Police amassing more than 175 witness statements, 15 lever arch files of material and more than 6,500 pages of exhibits.

It was uncovered that Di Stefano had consistently manipulated and deceived the criminal justice system in this country.

Di Stefano was arrested in Spain using a European Arrest Warrant and brought back to the UK for trial at Southwark Crown Court, where he denied a total of 25 charges – including obtaining a money transfer by deception, fraud, money laundering through acquiring criminal property and using criminal property, using a false instrument (a record and letter), attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception and obtaining property by deception.

Di Stefano denied the charges but the jury unanimously returned guilty verdicts on all 25 counts against him after four hours of deliberation.

The court was told during the trial that there were 10 victims or sets of victims who among them, between June 2004 and December 2011 lost nearly £1 million.

Some who lost money to Di Stefano were people who had been convicted of criminal offences, but more often it was their family members who were asked to pay his demands.

Di Stefano also subsequently pleaded guilty to two further charges of fraud, one in relation to Hertfordshire Police Authority and the appropriation of £150,000 in relation to an insurance claim by a man who sought compensation following a car crash in which he lost his arm.

He also tried to undermine the case by taking out a private case against the officer in charge of the case, which was thrown out of court.

After the case, Det Insp Matthew Bradford, from the fraud investigation team in the City of London Police Economic Crime Directorate, said: ‘This is a man who courted publicity, fame and even generated notoriety and respect for his legal services – but it was all built on his lies, deception  and greed.

‘The irony is that among Di Stefano’s clients were individuals who were being prosecuted for serious criminal offences or had a criminal background – yet they themselves became victims to Di Stefano’s crimes.

‘This was a complex enquiry that took specialist investigators from the City of London Police years of dedicated work to meticulously piece together Di Stefano’s persistent  habit of offending over a substantial period of time and establish a case which the prosecution were then able to successfully present in court to a jury. Not even Di Stefano could defend the weight of evidence against him.’

Det Insp Bradford added: ‘Di Stefano was convicted of serious fraud at the Old Bailey in 1986, at which point the then trial judge described him as one of “life’s great swindlers”. That is as true today as it was then.https://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/rangers-shareholder-sentenced-to-14-years-giovanni-di-stefano-convicted/