Suspended jail sentence for solicitor who harassed ex and his new partner

Ex-solicitor Susilla Mercer, 44, is banned from contacting victims after a conviction for harassment and racially aggravated abuse following the collapse of her law firm

The disgraced founder of a Runcorn-based law firm has been handed a suspended prison sentence for harassing her estranged husband and racially abusing his new partner during a bitter divorce saga.

Susilla Mercer, 44, was convicted in absentia after failing to appear at her trial. She was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court to 12 weeks in custody, suspended for a year.

The former solicitor, whose firm Mercer Law was forcibly shut down in 2023 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) over dishonesty allegations, carried out a prolonged campaign of harassment against her ex-husband, Gerard Flynn and his new partner, Shelina Kurz, between January 2023 and July 2024.

Prosecutors said Mercer fabricated assault claims against Flynn, leading to his wrongful detention and police questioning. After his release without charge, she sent him a startling message: “I am sorry I got you arrested, but I did not want to spend £200 to £300 an hour on a watertight divorce.”

She added that two barristers had helped her stop the Crown Prosecution Service from pursuing charges, despite her role in initiating the arrest.

Her abuse continued online, where she posted a photograph of Kurz as her profile picture and made derogatory and racially charged remarks.

Defence solicitor Sarah Bailey said Mercer’s mental health had deteriorated in the wake of a bitter separation and the introduction of Flynn’s new partner. Bailey described Mercer’s actions as “just a couple of Facebook messages” and insisted the allegations stemmed from serious accusations Mercer had also made, which did not lead to Flynn being charged.

Nonetheless, the magistrates imposed a restraining order barring Mercer from contacting either Flynn or Kurz for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay £804 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Before the court hearing, Mercer bizarrely posted images of her wedding invitations—printed on Mercer Law-headed paper—with the caption: “What a waste of £60,000.”

Mercer is no longer listed as a practising solicitor on the SRA website. The regulator, which is still investigating the financial misconduct allegations that led to the firm’s August 2023 closure, confirmed it was aware of the court proceedings.

The case has highlighted concerns about the conduct of legal professionals whose personal crises spill into public and criminal behaviour. Mercer, once a respected solicitor in Cheshire’s legal circles, now finds her career in ruins and her reputation in tatters.

Her downfall has been dramatic. From founding her own law firm to a courtroom defendant with a suspended sentence, Mercer’s story serves as a cautionary tale of personal grievances turning into professional catastrophe.

While the court accepted Mercer had been deeply affected by the collapse of her marriage, her actions—deemed malicious and racially charged—crossed a criminal line.

As of now, the SRA continues its probe into the firm’s financial management and is expected to determine in due course whether further disciplinary action is warranted.