Disgraced lawyer jailed for money laundering 'can't attend court hearing due to wedding'

A disgraced lawyer serving time for money laundering can’t attend court for a hearing as he’s attending a wedding on the same day, a judge heard.

Iain Robertson, 71, told judge Olga Pasportnikov on Monday that he wouldn’t be able present for a proceeds of crime case on June 23.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that this was because he was a guest at a marriage ceremony on the same day.

Robertson, who is representing himself in a bid by the Crown to recover money he made from a £1.5m laundering racket, told judge Pasportnikov: “I’m on home leave for a wedding that day. I have a week of home leave every month.”

Robertson, of Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, is currently the subject of an action brought by prosecutors under proceeds of crime laws.

Robertson was given eight years in January 2023. He and two other corrupt solicitors – Alistair Blackwood, 69, and David Lyons – used their law firm Robertson & Ross in Paisley, Renfrewshire, to launder cash obtained illegally.

The trio acted alongside Mohammed Aziz, 63, and Robert Ferguson, 69, in a course of criminal activity.

The five men were sentenced following a nine week trial at the High Court in Glasgow before judge Lord Richardson.

The trial was the culmination of a process which had been triggered by a Law Society probe into activities at the firm.

They were convicted of fraud and multiple charges under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Robertson, Lyons and Aziz were also convicted on charges of being involved in serious organised crime. All were sent to prison.

Prosecutors told jurors the case centred on four transactions carried out between May 2015 and July 2016.

The first transaction involved a £79,340 stolen cheque due to be paid to a law firm in Jersey.

The next centred on £240,000 from a fraudulent house sale in London.

The third transaction saw £985,000 stolen from the hacked bank account of an individual.

And the final illegal activity was uncovered after Robertson claimed to be acting for a man who wanted to sell his home in Essex.

The court heard that the “seller” was said to be staying at a flat that turned out to be Ferguson’s address.

A total of £181,786 was made from the fraudulent sale.

In each transaction, the proceeds were funnelled through the client bank account held by Robertson’s firm in Paisley, Robertson & Ross

Limited, and false records were created to make them appear legitimate.

Fake papers and fake IDs – including a passport and driver’s licence – were collated in a bid to cover up the crimes.

The Law Society raised concerns about several of these transactions before alerting police to the potential illegal activity.

The trial heard that lawyer Robertson, who has been suspended by the Law Society along with Blackwood, was at the heart of the money-laundering scheme since he had access to his firm’s client account.

Judge Pasportnikov fixed a hearing in the proceeds case to take place on June 30, 2025.