Vic man gave fake advice to racing legend

A man with no legal qualifications drafted court documents and legal correspondence for racing legend Bob Jane, a Melbourne court has heard.

A man who drafted court documents for Bob Jane despite having no legal qualifications says he was simply a good Samaritan trying to help the motor racing legend.

Malcolm McClure, 41, drafted court documents and legal correspondence for Mr Jane during his 2011 Federal Court battle against his son over the naming rights of his tyre empire.

McClure's fraudulent advice to Mr Jane cost the former tyre king thousands of dollars, magistrate Ann Collins said.

"The public should be protected from people who are uninsured, unqualified and unlicensed," she said on Thursday.

"It's clear this had a huge impact on Mr Jane."

McClure had pleaded not guilty to the charge of engaging in legal practice when not a law practitioner, but was convicted by Ms Collins.

He said his sense of duty as a "good Samaritan" prompted him to become involved with Mr Jane.

"People like myself, there's not many like us," Mr McClure told the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

"We are selfless in our service and we go about this selfless service because we are guided by a sense of conscience."

But he conceded the matter had not turned out the way Mr Jane had hoped.

Mr Jane ultimately lost the court battle and was ordered by the Federal Court to cease trading under the name Jane.

His son Rodney Jane now heads Bob Jane T-Marts, the company Bob Jane founded, and brought the action against his father.

McClure was convicted and fined $10,000.


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