Coroner Jeremy Cave is to be interviewed by North Yorkshire Police's fraud squad on Tuesday.

Mr Cave is coroner for the districts of Claro and Craven in North Yorkshire, which include Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Skipton, as well as being coroner for Selby.

He is also facing disciplinary proceedings at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in London.

These proceedings against Mr Cave, of Croft Heads, Sowerby, Thirsk, were adjourned "for a mention" yesterday in London.

Andrew Miller, for the Law Society, said Mr Cave had sought an adjournment on the basis of police inquiries which concerned allegations of overcharging, and these overlapped with the allegations being made by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.

Mr Miller had spoken to a police officer with the North Yorkshire fraud squad, who said they were due to interview Mr Cave on June 26, after which they would be able to make a decision.

He said Mr Cave, who has been a solicitor for 20 years and did not attend yesterday's brief hearing, was asking for time to allow the police inquiries to be concluded.

Tribunal chairman Teresa Cullen granted the adjournment, and the case will be heard - for a mention again - on July 24.

It is understood Mr Cave was arrested on May 2 and has been bailed until Monday.

Mr Cave previously practised as Jeremy Cave Solicitors, Thirsk, which was shut down by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, pending the tribunal hearing.

His wife, Susan, 43, was awarded £58,000 damages by an employment tribunal after she was sacked from her £40,000 a year post as headteacher of Ripon Cathedral Choir school.

Eighteen parents at the school issued an ultimatum to the governors, telling them to sack her or they would remove their children, after it was revealed her husband faced a disciplinary hearing.

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, June 20, 2001