Kathryn Ann Hennessey

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

The Respondent, a newly qualified assistant solicitor, signed a personal injury client's witness statement in the client's name and served it on the defendant and the Court when she could not obtain the client's signature. At trial the client testified he had not signed it; a police investigation followed. She was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice and given a one-year conditional discharge plus £200 prosecution costs. The Tribunal found the (uncontested) allegations substantiated. Although it accepted she was young and inexperienced and had not gained personally, it held that a conviction involving deception required striking off absent the most exceptional mitigation, which was not present. She was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay the costs of the application, subject to detailed assessment unless agreed.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct involved deception of another party in litigation and the Court
• Criminal conviction for perverting the course of justice

Mitigating factors:

• Young and inexperienced, newly qualified (about 9 months at the firm)
• No personal gain other than avoiding an adverse court finding
• Admitted signing the statement as soon as police made enquiries
• Self-reported the prosecution to the OSS
• Only a conditional discharge imposed by the criminal court