A DISGRACED solicitor from Culcheth who preyed on sick miners to line his pockets with millions of pounds has splashed out on £2.8 million mansion in Wilmslow.

Andrew Nulty was branded a 'disgrace to the profession' when he was struck off as a solicitor after raking in millions of pounds in fees from hard-working miners' claims.

He then fled to Spain, setting up a new life before returning to Cheshire earlier this year after snapping up a six-bedroomed home complete with pool, tennis court and sauna.

Now one of the UK’s leading negligence experts Robert Godfrey says there could be a case for suing Nulty.

Mr Godfrey, who works as a professional negligence partner at Simpson Millar solicitors, said: “I am already dealing with a lot of other similar cases across the UK where miners have been short changed by their lawyers.

"They were supposed to help them but in the end they just used them as a cash machine.

"It is scandalous that miners could be treated in this way. They should have been looked after not taken advantage of.

"Some of them could be owed thousands of pounds. There may be a a case for miners taking action against Nulty for his company failing to properly investigate their past claims.

“It is clear from speaking with miners and their families that they weren’t told what they were entitled to claim. This could constitute a valid reason for further action."

Mr Godfrey already runs a dedicated miners unit to assist those affected and their families who may have been ripped off by their legal firms.

It is understood the main victims are those who suffered from vibration white finger (VWF) also known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

This is a debilitating condition with permanent joint and muscle damage caused by operating vibrating machinery.

Nulty, who once boasted that his father and grandfather had been miners, was struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for breaching Law Society rules including failing to give adequate information to clients and taking a 15 per cent cut of any damages some received.

His Warrington-based Avalon Solicitors, formerly of Museum Street, raised £40 million by processing at least 32,000 claims from pitmen and their families by exploiting the Coal Health Compensation Scheme.

He also ran a claims management company called Sureclaim on Winwick Street, who referred cases to his legal firm.

The rogue lawyer advertised his services for free but took 15 per cent from some damages miners received in fees as well as a flat rate from the Government. This was paid back in 2005.

Many of the miners have since died while others are still struggling with crippling illnesses after getting payouts averaging just £2,000.