Victoria Barbara Wadsworth

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

The Respondent, a salaried partner running the mental health department at Roebucks Solicitors, was convicted of fraud at Manchester Crown Court (convicted 25 May 2016, sentenced 8 July 2016 to three years' imprisonment, reduced to two years on appeal). She had invented a company ("Healthy Minds") and submitted false claims to the Legal Services Commission for non-existent medical reports, gaining £25,000 (the count she pleaded guilty to). The Tribunal found the Rule 7(1) conviction allegation proved beyond reasonable doubt, breaching Principles 1, 2 and 6. The earlier Rule 5(2) allegations (including dishonesty) were ordered to lie on file. The Tribunal found the offence of fraud involved dishonesty and found no exceptional circumstances to avoid striking off. She was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay agreed costs of £21,864.10.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Serve justice and improve the law
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct deliberate, calculated and repeated over a period of time
• Concealment of wrongdoing
• Guilty plea only at a late stage
• Breach of a position of trust with direct control and responsibility
• Misconduct was planned (set up a company to receive payments)
• Knew or ought reasonably to have known conduct breached obligations to protect the public and reputation of the profession
• Criminal offence involving dishonesty (fraud)

Mitigating factors:

• Showed some insight, albeit at a late stage, by entering a guilty plea
• Caring responsibilities for severely disabled adult son
• Difficult home situation and financial hardship