A travelling tailor appeared in court this week after duping a Freshfields associate into paying for a bespoke suit that never materialised.

James Smith, 25, travelled to a number of lawyers' offices where he measured them up, took a 50% deposit and then scarpered. Southwark Crown Court heard that he pocketed more than £5,000 in total, having turned to ripping off his clients when his business got into difficulties.

RollOnFriday can reveal that one of his unfortunate targets was Oliver Crowley, a senior associate at Freshfields's corporate department, whose CV notes that he was awarded an MSci in Astrophysics at University College London. Sadly even a rocket scientist was unable to spot the conman.

    Smith fleecing a lawyer yesterday

Smith will be sentenced on 15th March and was warned that he almost certainly faces custody. A Freshfields spokesman said, "the esteemed tailors of Savile Row are aware of Oliver’s plight, and we are delighted to confirm that a final fitting is imminent".
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