MP celebrates miners legal battle

BASSETLAW'S MP is celebrating a victory in his war against solicitors accused of duping sick miners out of compensation cash.

John Mann spearheaded a campaign to highlight what he believes is one of the 'biggest scandals in British legal history'.

All legal costs to do with miners claiming compensation after contracting industrial disease are paid by the Coal Health Compensation Scheme.

South Yorkshire-based Beresford's Solicitors received over £123m in fees but they were found to have taken additional sums out of the money meant to go directly to miners.

The individual solicitors concerned have now been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which ruled they failed to act in the best interests of their clients, failed to give adequate advice and improperly released confidential information.

Mr Mann, after the decision, compared a former partner at the firm, Jim Beresford, to King Midas.

"Jim Beresford is a modern day King Midas, believing that everything he touched would turn to gold, but ending up as the man who would not listen," said Mr Mann.

"Even now, Beresfords have failed to pay back many miners who they duped. I trust cheques with compensation will be in the post."

The tribunal discovered Beresford's has entered into a scheme with a company owned by an employee of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM).

The company handed Beresford's 'hundreds' of miners seeking compensation for industrial disease contracted during their time underground, the tribunal found.

John Mann says he has fought for four years to win justice for the miners involved.

In that time he has taken action against over 40 firms of solicitors, with two-thirds forced to pay back money to ex-miners.

He also claims to have won over 100 individual legal cases against Beresford's through the Law Society Legal Complaints Service with 'many more under way', he added.

The MP called for immediate action to repay all money 'hoodwinked' out of retired miners and miners' widows as well as a speeding up of disciplinary action against other solicitors involved.

"I call on all ex-miners to come forward immediately and get their money back," he added.

In a statement, Beresford's said it strongly disagreed with the decision.

"We are very disappointed at the findings of the Tribunal against two former Partners of Beresford's Solicitors LLP.

"Jim Beresford and Doug Smith continue to strenuously deny all the allegations which relate to matters which arose many years ago. We understand that it is their intention to appeal this decision.

"We would like to reassure all of our clients that the firm will continue to act in the best interests of our clients."