Martyn Robert Brown

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

Martyn Robert Brown, a sole practitioner at Integrum Law, was found to have retained client monies intended for professional disbursements (counsel fees, medical experts) and ATE insurance premiums in his office account to aid his firm's cash flow, creating a client account shortage of over £69,000 over several years (some dating to 2012). He received Qualified Accountants' Reports 2013-2017 but failed to remedy the breaches. He admitted all allegations including dishonesty. The Tribunal found his culpability and the harm caused were high, applied the Ivey test, found dishonesty, and concluded there were no exceptional circumstances. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £9,068 (reduced from the £10,008 claimed).

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• No improper use of client money
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct
• Deliberate, calculated and repeated conduct over four years
• Respondent was COLP and COFA so ought to have known the conduct breached his obligations
• Fully aware of breaches having received Qualified Accountants' Reports 2013-2017
• Previous appearance before the Tribunal in 2009 for Accounts Rules breaches
• Impact on those required to submit claims to the Compensation Fund

Mitigating factors:

• Some degree of insight (though lacking until recently)
• Cooperated with the regulator and proceedings
• Made admissions including dishonesty
• No complaints from barristers or experts
• No shortfall in funds held directly for clients (only professional disbursements)
• Personal/financial difficulties from litigation with former partners and subsequent bankruptcy