Regulators have moved to ban two employees of different firms who were found to be misappropriating thousands of pounds.

Trainee solicitor Tauseef Sadeeq was handed a section 43 notice by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – effectively banning him from working for all firms – after he fabricated signatures on four payment request forms.

Sadeeq, who worked for Bolton firm Jacob Miller Solicitors, had become a trainee in October last year after 15 months as a paralegal. But the SRA notice states that it was found he had misappropriated £100,000 from third party insurers and £2,000 from the firm. He was dismissed in March this year.

The SRA said Sadeeq’s conduct was dishonest and he should no longer be able to work in the profession. He was also ordered to pay the SRA’s £1,350 costs.

The regulator has also taken the same steps to stop Dean Cowley, formerly a legal cashier with Liverpool firm Samuels Law, from working in the profession.

The firm, a recognised sole practice, dismissed Cowley for gross misconduct in July 2020 after it was found he fraudulently signed nine cheques to misappropriate £22,431 from the client account over more than a year, the SRA notice states. Cowley was ordered to pay £600 costs.