Michael Lloyd Wilson

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

The Respondent, Michael Lloyd Wilson, was found guilty of professional misconduct based on a UK criminal conviction involving the unauthorized use/withdrawal of significant funds (approximately £100,000) invested with and entrusted to Global Wines Investments Limited, of which he was a director. The panel expressly found the conviction involved deception and dishonesty, breaching Canon II(k). Despite character evidence from five witnesses urging suspension, the Respondent declined to give evidence at trial or sanction, depriving the panel of context on the nature/scope/extent of dishonesty, remorse, or restitution. Applying Bolton and SRA v Sharma, the panel found no exceptional circumstances placing the case in the small residual category where striking off would be disproportionate, notwithstanding the prior UK custodial sentence and striking off. The Attorney was struck from the Roll and ordered to pay costs of JMD 100,000.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Conviction involved an element of deception and dishonesty - unauthorized use of significant funds entrusted to the company (approx. £100,000)
• Offence of a nature likely to bring the profession into disrepute
• Respondent refused to give evidence at trial and at the sanction hearing
• No evidence of remorse from the Respondent himself
• No evidence of restitution from the Respondent
• Respondent attempted to dismiss the complaint and withdraw his plea, contrary to claimed early admission
• Continued obtaining practicing certificates during incarceration (2017, 2018, 2019) without explanation

Mitigating factors:

• Character evidence from five witnesses attesting to integrity, honesty, professionalism and commitment
• Respondent had served a custodial sentence in the UK
• Respondent had already been struck from the Roll of Solicitors in the UK
• Admission of the conviction on the pleadings