A CONSULTANT neurologist has avoided jail after defrauding the Scottish Legal Aid Board by almost £1500.

Salim Eqbal, 54, told solicitors at three different firms between March and May 2012 that he had little or no money.

But, the dad-of-three in fact had cash in the bank and £5000 of investment bonds.

He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to three charges of defrauding the legal aid board totaling £1360 by giving false information to two Glasgow firms and a Motherwell based solicitors.

Yesterday Eqbal, from North Kelvinside, Glasgow was given a community payback order with the condition he must carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.

Sheriff Alan MacKenzie told him: “I recognise the consequences of these offences for you will be extreme, probably for the rest of your life.”

Eqbal – who now works as an interpreter – has two previous road traffic convictions.

In March 2012 at Hamilton, Burns solicitors in Glasgow Eqbal claimed he had only £270, but in fact had his bonds and £4,188.

This lead to £164 being granted by the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) for advice and assistance.

The following month, with cash and still with the bonds he told lawyers at Bruce McCormack solicitors in Motherwell he had only £160 and was granted £360 for a criminal case.

In May 2012, £836 was awarded for another criminal case when told Aamer Anwar and Co he had no money. The court heard from lawyer Abdulla Hamid that the money has been fully repaid.

Eqbal, was a doctor in this country before becoming a consultant neurologist in Pakistan and was “well known” in that field.

Since returning to Scotland in 2010 he has tried to become a consultant but has been unsuccessful.

Mr Hamid said: “He fully accepts the General Medical Council under no circumstances will allow admission.”