Guy Richard Charles Bailey

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

Guy Richard Charles Bailey, sole director of Reward Litigation Limited, faced six allegations following an SRA forensic investigation and intervention into his firm in September 2013. The Tribunal, proceeding in his absence, found all allegations proved beyond reasonable doubt: extensive breaches of the accounts rules (no cashbook, reconciliations or list of client balances since the firm began trading in 2010), failure to deliver accountants' reports, failure to comply with practising certificate conditions, failure to have an approved COLP/COFA, abandoning his practice, and failing to attend court to represent a client. The Tribunal found a lack of integrity in several respects but there was no allegation or finding of dishonesty. Given the seriousness but absence of dishonesty and prior record, the Tribunal imposed an indefinite suspension to protect the public and ordered costs of £7,000.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Diligence and timeliness
• Hold a current practising certificate
• Report serious misconduct of others
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Many and serious breaches of the accounts rules
• Failure to comply with practising certificate conditions imposed to protect the public
• Abandonment of practice left clients let down, including a client not represented at a court hearing
• Failure to engage with proceedings or the SRA and no explanation for misconduct

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary record
• No allegation of dishonesty