A bigamous solicitor was last week sentenced to six months in jail for stealing thousands of pounds from a dead client's estate to pay for her marriage.

Marylena Shuti, who is 29, pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to theft, attempting to dishonestly obtain money transfer by deception, dishonestly obtaining money transfer by deception, obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception, and bigamy.


The crime occurred while she was an assistant in the wills and probate department of Stevenage firm Howe Roche & Waller. It was reported that the money she stole was put towards a wedding last year, at a time when her previous marriage had not been dissolved.


Howe Roche partner Martin Addrison said the firm's internal controls had worked and uncovered the fraud, adding that no client had suffered any loss. All the files she worked on have been audited and checked, he emphasised.


Saying the firm was upset for her 'for her stupidity', he added: 'She was a young solicitor apparently doing all right but is unlikely to be a solicitor when she comes out of prison.'


A spokesman for the Law Society's regulation directorate said Shuti's case would go before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.