Myles sued by lawyers in housing fraud case

Edlin Myles

(CNS): The former deputy chair of the National Housing and Development Trust, who was convicted of fraud last year, is being sued for over $30,000 in connection with unpaid legal fees. The lawyers who represented Edlin Myles at trial and sentencing were preparing his appeal but they have also stopped acting for him, according to the writ. Myles was sentenced to six months in jail but has not yet served any time as he was bailed soon after sentencing as a result of the appeal.

The 62-year-old George Town man, once a prominent member of the former United Democratic Party and a well-known local musician, was found guilty of seven counts of obtaining or attempting to obtain a pecuniary advantage after he told clients of the government low-cost housing scheme that they had to buy insurance from him in order to secure one of the trust’s homes. As the deputy chair of the board governing the housing project, he was in a position of trust, the court found, and the clients believed that they had to do what Myles said despite struggling to find the cash.

Following his conviction by a jury, the trial judge, Justice Alex Henderson, handed down a six month prison term, even though this was Myles’ first offence. The judge pointed to the breach of trust and how Myles had abused his position for his own advantage. Myles was also ordered to pay compensation of $630 to his victims.

However, in the immediate wake of the sentencing Myles’ lawyer, Ben Tonner of Samson & McGrath, the firm now taking legal action against him, argued for his client to continue on bail on the basis that an appeal had been filed against both the conviction and the sentence.

After he was charged Myles lost his job at a local insurance firm and Tonner told the court during sentencing that his client’s career and reputation were ruined.

In a law suit filed on 21 April the lawyers claim that Myles has paid less than $14,000 on a bill of more than $46,000 in fees for the case, which began in 2012. The lawyers also stated that they had warned Myles in a final demand for payment at the beginning of last month if the fees were not paid they would not continue to act for him regarding his appeal.

The Court of Appeal is currently in session but Myles’ case is no longer listed to be heard as a result of the lawyers coming off record. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed that Myles’ appeal is now expected to be heard in the summer session which starts in July.