A DISHONEST Clent solicitor has been thrown out of the profession for forging a document when a couple challenged a vulnerable widow's will.

Villager Margaret Patrick left an inheritance to five children when her family were sure she only intended to leave legacies to four.

When relatives investigated they discovered lawyer James Robb, aged 59, better known as Neill Robb and a close friend of Miss Patrick, had altered the record he made of the spinster's instructions.

He also made a misleading statement when Nick and Giovanna Rowe challenged the will, the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal heard.

Miss Patrick, who was in her 80s and who had suffered a series of strokes, left 75 per cent of her estate to a friend in the village and intended the rest of the money to be divided among the Rowe's four children.

But Mr Rowe had a daughter by a previous marriage and she was also wrongly included in the 2001 will.

The Rowes were convinced the will was incorrect and began their own investigations.

They discovered in an original note of Miss Patrick's instructions, that Robb had stated 'Nick and Giovanna's children' were to be the beneficiaries.

But he subsequently altered the record to read 'Nick's children' - to include the daughter from the first marriage.

Margaret Bromley, for the Solicitors' Regulatory Authority, said: “The attendance record of Miss Patrick had been altered and that was truly misleading.

“It had the effect of bringing the will into line with the instructions which he executed.”

Robb, of Bromsgrove Road, insisted he had no idea Lucy, the fifth child actually existed.

But Miss Bromley said Robb knew of Lucy’s existence in 2003. She added: “That knowledge came not from Mr and Mrs Rowe but from somewhere else, probably Miss Patrick.

“At the time he was drafting the will it was highly likely he knew of Lucy's existence.”

When the Rowes challenged the will, Robb continued his deceit by claiming the attendance note was true in his legal statement.

His firm have since settled a negligence claim by paying the four nephews the money they would have received had the fifth child not been included in the will.

Robb, who had an unblemished 38-year career and was a partner in his firm George Green, of Cradley Heath, admitted dishonestly providing the beneficiary of a will with two versions of the attendance note.

He denied dishonesty in relation to making a witness statement, which he knew was misleading, and allowing a misleading witness statement to be served. But both charges were proved.

He told the hearing he 'panicked' when the Rowes challenged the will.

No longer a partner with the firm and now working as a consultant, Robb said: “I just got it into my head that they (the children) were all beneficiaries.”

Tribunal chairman Nicholas Pearson said: “This is a very sad story.”

Mrs Rowe, a teaching assistant in Bournemouth, Dorset, said she was now considering a legal career following her success in bringing about Robb's downfall.

She said afterwards: “I just had a gut feeling that the will was not right.”

She said when she obtained the case papers and saw the altered attendance note she realised she had previously seen and kept the original document.

Robb's dishonesty was revealed when she compared them both on her kitchen table.

Mrs Rowe said: “It has taken a very long time but we have been vindicated by the tribunal.

"As Robb has now been struck off we feel we have done what we can to ensure that he will not be able to do this again."

As well as being struck off, Robb was ordered to pay £7,750 costs.