Manchester Lawyer Facing Jail For Theft

A leading Manchester-based barrister has been told he faces a lengthy prison sentence after he admitted stealing £81,500 from his own chambers.

Manchester-based lawyer 46-year-old David Friesner, admitted theft when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday.

He stood in the dock as he admitted taking the cash from 9 St John Street Chambers in Manchester, between October 2008 and November 2009.

Friesner denied a further count of stealing £13,453.75 from the Crown Prosecution Service.

He had been at the chambers for more than 14 years and was well known for his work in serious criminal cases at the city's two crown courts, especially as a prosecutor.

One of his areas of expertise was fraud and money laundering and he prosecuted a number of high profile fraud cases in the North West.

Mr Beggs told the court Friesner was married, with daughters aged five and eight.

He said his client was having to sell his home and wanted to be around to help his family move before he went to prison.

Mr Beggs told the judge: "You can be entirely confident that he will return honourably to face what he knows is coming.

He added: "He's not going to leave the country. He's only got family here. His friends are all in England, all in Manchester."

He been given unconditional bail and told him he will be sentenced on February 10.

The judge said: "You, I know, will have no doubt about the likely sentence in this case.

"It's likely to be a substantial period of time."