Coroner charged with £2m fraud and theft over work carried out at his solicitor's office

  • Alan Crickmore is accused of 12 counts of theft and eight counts of fraud
  • Crickmore drove a Jaguar and had a second home in Norfolk
  • The 56-year old coroner has since been declared bankrupt
  • He was the first coroner to cover the whole of Gloucestershire

By Olivia Williams

Published: 14:39 EST, 11 March 2013 | Updated: 17:49 EST, 11 March 2013


Coroner Alan Crickmore

On the wrong side of the law: Coroner Alan Crickmore was charged on Monday with multiple counts of fraud and theft and his law firm has been closed down

A coroner has been charged with fraud and theft totaling more than £2m.

Alan Crickmore, 56, faces 12 counts of theft and eight counts of fraud.

Gloucestershire Police said today that he will appear before magistrates in Cheltenham on April 9th.

In December 2010 Crickmore's law firm in Cheltenham High Street was closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority because of alleged irregularities.

The police has been investigating Crickmore, one of Britian's longest serving coroners, since January 2011.

Crickmore had been the owner of a Jaguar with a personalised registration plate and a cottage in Norfolk.

However, after his arrest he was declared bankrupt.

He was suspended from practising as a solicitor after a career spanning 30 years.

All his active case files were handed to other firms.

His law firm, Alan C. Crickmore, specialised in family law, liquor and public entertainment licensing, conveyancing, wills and probate.

Shortly afterwards he ceased to sit as coroner, although he still officially holds that office.

Inquests since then have been conducted by his deputy, David Dooley and two assistants.

He became deputy coroner for Gloucester in 1990 and took over as the city coroner in 2002.

In 2005, took on the role of the coroner for the Cotswolds

Alan Crickmore, pictured back left in this legal procession in Gloucester, practised law for 30 years until the Solicitors Regulation Authority began investigating him

Upstanding member of the community: Alan Crickmore, pictured back left in this legal procession in Gloucester, practised law for 30 years until the Solicitors Regulation Authority began investigating him

He then combined the two jobs to become the first coroner to cover the whole of Gloucestershire.

He was also a director of the trust running a local Catholic independent school, St Edward's.

Crickmore, who is now solvent again, was charged when he answered to bail at Cheltenham police station this morning.

The fraud charges include seven counts of fraud by abuse of position and one count of fraud by false representation.

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