A barrister has been disbarred for failing to disclose a forgery conviction before being called to the bar.

Martin Christie, who was an employed barrister at Stockport firm Henry’s Solicitors, admitted to four criminal offences before he was called to the bar in April 2003.

But he failed to disclose that he had also been given a two-year conditional discharge after he pleaded guilty to forgery in Chester Crown Court (pictured). He had also been asked to pay costs of £290.

When he was called to the bar Christie confirmed that a declaration he had made in 1999 on his application to Gray’s Inn was true and accurate.

But the bar disciplinary tribunal found that the declaration was in fact ‘untrue and inaccurate’, because it stated that particulars of every conviction for any relevant criminal offences had been disclosed.

The tribunal said the conduct Christie had engaged in before his call to the bar was ‘dishonest or otherwise discreditable to a barrister’.

The sentence is open to appeal.