A former apprentice solicitor who was not honest with his firm about having been arrested has been barred from the legal profession.
According to a decision notice published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Owen Goodhand had been working with Kent firm Martin Tolhurst Partnership LLP for almost eight months when he was arrested in March 2025 following a police investigation. He was released on bail.
Three days after his arrest, Goodhand emailed the firm explaining his absence from work had been because he was unwell. He then failed to disclose his arrest in response to a direct question during a meeting with his supervisor.
Around six weeks after his arrest, during a meeting with the firm's compliance officer for legal practice, Goodhand disclosed details of his arrest and admitted to having been dishonest to his supervisor. He was dismissed by the firm in June 2025.
The SRA's notice reveals that in September 2025, Kent Police closed its criminal investigation into Goodhand with no further action.
The regulator said Goodhand’s conduct both in the immediate email and the interview with his supervisor had been dishonest and he should not be involved in the profession.
He was given a section 43 notice, preventing him from working for any regulated firm without SRA permission, and ordered to pay £600 costs.
