Lawyer's affair with murder trial witness

by ANDREW CHAPMAN, Mail on Sunday

A woman solicitor defending a man accused of murder faces being struck off after having an affair with a key prosecution witness.

Julie Allott, 37, an attractive, wellspoken brunette, was dating tattooed nightclub doorman Michael Taylor after meeting him in police cells when he was being held for an alleged assault.

She admits the pair were having a relationship at the time of the murder trial but denies his claims that they were already having sex.

Now, after the 41-year-old former coalminer refused to leave his wife for her, Miss Allott is suing him for more than £19,000 for 24 gifts and luxury items she lavished on him during their two-and-a-half-year affair.

The case centres on the trial in December 1998 of Dennis Poole, a bouncer accused of strangling his wife, Adele, on Valentine's Day. Mr Taylor became a crucial witness after Poole spoke to him on the night of the murder.

After Poole was charged, Miss Allott was instructed to defend him. According to Mr Taylor, he embarked on his affair with the solicitor a month later.

She took him on a week-long romantic holiday to New York, gave him cash towards BMW and Ford Cougar cars, houses and Christmas presents for his mother and daughter. In her claim before Doncaster County Court later this year she is even insisting he pays back £9.64 she spent on cleaning materials.

Her conduct during the trial could lead to disciplinary action by the Law Society and the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. Last night, speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday from his mother's bungalow in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Mr Taylor claimed that Julie Allott had ruined his life.

He said: 'Julie came on strong to me at a time I was having marital troubles and I was impressed. I was her bit of rough.

'She told me she drew around £72,000 a year from her firm, a fortune to a man like me. She did spend a lot of money on me but I genuinely believed these were gifts.

'Julie knew that having an affair with me while representing the defendant was wrong and taking a risk. She said she could get into serious trouble but didn't seem to care.

'My wife Angela is a Jehovah's Witness and has now told me to pack my bags.'

During Poole's trial at Leeds, the court heard how Poole had gone to the Bourbon Street Club in Wakefield, where Taylor worked. He was looking for his sister and was clearly upset. He spoke to Mr Taylor and another doorman before police were called and he was arrested.

Mr Taylor expected to give evidence in court but only his statement was read out.

Poole was convicted on a lesser charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and given an eight-year term.

After the case Poole instructed Miss Allott to file an appeal against his sentence.

He claims she told him the papers had gone through when they had not, and it was too late when they were eventually filed.

Poole made a complaint about her handling of his appeal to the Law Society, and she was ordered to explain and apologise. Poole received £500 compensation from

her law firm. Now his sister Denise Poole, who has only just learned of the affair, is demanding a full investigation.

Denise, 36, said: 'I am utterly amazed to learn my brother's solicitor was having an affair with a prosecution witness which began just a month after his arrest and went on during and after the trial. She should have declared her conflict of interest. She is a disgrace to her profession.'

The father of the dead woman, Robert Batty, 76, an ex-RAF serviceman, was also astonished to hear of the solicitor's affair.

At her home, Miss Allott denied she had a sexual relationship with Mr Taylor before the trial, insisting it began after the case ended on December 21, 1998. She said: 'I can tell you I had a relationship with Mr Taylor after the trial of Dennis Poole. I was not involved in a sexual relationship with him in contravention of any Law Society regulations.

'I began the relationship with him in late 1998, but it wasn't an intimate relationship until after that time. I accept that I was seeing him.'

She went on: 'I have issued proceedings in the county court as Mr Taylor owes me a considerable amount of money that he has gone to great lengths not to repay.'

'I don't take kindly to being taken advantage of in the way Mr Taylor took advantage of me by borrowing money from me and making promises that ultimately he didn't keep, to pay me back.'

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