A troubled former Qantas pilot who lost his wings for abusing prescription medication has been arrested prior to learning his fate for practising law without a licence.

Nathaniel John Whitehall was found guilty of posing as a qualified solicitor and acting in a legal capacity for clients in 2020 despite never having held a certificate to practise law.

The court documents reveal he represented clients in court and signed legal documents without ever having the qualifications required for all lawyers in NSW.

The Central Coast resident was due to be sentenced on Tuesday for three counts of engaging in legal practice when not a qualified entity and five counts of unqualified entity advertising can engage in legal practice.

However, Sydney Downing Centre Local Court heard he had been arrested in Wollongong on Monday.

The court heard he was arrested by virtue of an outstanding warrant after he failed to comply with his bail agreement.

Court documents state the arrest relates to two charges of drug possession and 25 counts of dealing with identity information to commit an indictable offence.

Magistrate Juliana Crofts noted the former Qantas pilot had been granted bail but he was still behind bars on remand.

She adjourned the matter until July to allow him to attend the court and learn his fate for pretending to be a lawyer.

The court was previously told Whitehall moved to the NSW Central Coast and began working for Lake Macquarie Conveyancing after he was unable to continue working as a pilot.

The former second officer at Qantas was stripped of his medical clearance in January 2018 after it was revealed he had been abusing large quantities of powerful opioids while flying internationally.

Whitehall successfully overturned the ruling in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal the following year before moving north to pose as a lawyer.

The court previously heard he began to work for the conveyancing firm three months after he expressed an interest in buying the business three years ago.

Multiple former clients and colleagues gave evidence about Whitehall’s illegal charade, telling the court he falsely represented himself as a qualified solicitor.

In one damning instance, Ms Crofts noted he had told a magistrate he had a certificate for practising law while acting for a client in a NSW Local Court.

When pressed by the court officer and his client, he admitted “I guess I don’t then”.

Whitehall will return to court on July 12.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7zZqroqeelrlwutKwZJqbpGSwsMHRrapmpJGsfKbE0JqlrZmjYr2quM6tZLCgn2K9sL%2FEnWSaq12Weq2t1rKcq2WRp7%2Bmv9Oem2aZmJqupXnOn2SsnZ6psq%2BvyKeeaKaVrMBuv9OoqbJnYWmBcoGSam9pb5Obs3mukp%2BbaZ6VZn56hJSeaGtwlWc%3D