Simon Hawes – clerk

• Application 10315-2009
• Hearing 29 April 2010
• Reasons 3 June 2010

The SDT ordered that as from 29 April 2010,except in accordance with Law Society permission:- (i) no solicitor should employ or remunerate, in connection with his practice as a solicitor the respondent, of Southampton SO31; (ii) no employee of a solicitor should employ or remunerate, in connection with the solicitor’s practice the said respondent; (iii) no recognised body should employ or remunerate the said respondent; (iv) no manager or employee of a recognised body should employ or remunerate the said respondent in connection with the business of that body; (v) no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body should permit the said respondent to be a manager of the body; and (vi) no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body should permit the said respondent to have an interest in the body. The respondent had been found guilty of dishonest conduct of such nature that in the opinion of the Solicitors Regulation Authority it would be undesirable for him to be employed in any capacity set out in the application, in that he had dishonestly obtained money transfers by deception, contrary to section 15A of the Theft Act 1968 on three separate occasions whilst employed as a conveyancing assistant.

The SDT had carefully considered all of the documentation put before it. In the circumstances it would make the order requested by the applicant. The imposition of such an order was both proportionate and reasonable in circumstances where an individual had been convicted of criminal offences of theft involving a breach of trust whilst working in a solicitors’ practice.
The respondent was ordered to pay costs of £2,056.