GEOFFREY PAUL DUTTON

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

The Full Bench of the Supreme Court of WA, acting on a report and recommendation from the State Administrative Tribunal, found that legal practitioner Geoffrey Paul Dutton engaged in extensive professional misconduct across at least 13 client matters between about 2007 and 2012, plus systemic trust account breaches. Conduct included dishonestly using trust funds for his own benefit (over 90 unauthorised withdrawals), failing to deposit trust money in general trust accounts, breaching costs disclosure obligations, failing to account for and repay trust money, misleading a client, failing to progress client matters, and failing to maintain proper books or notify irregularities. The Court expressly found the practitioner acted dishonestly and was not a fit and proper person to practise. It ordered his name removed from the Roll and made no order as to costs.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Competence
• Self-report to the regulator
• Report serious misconduct of others

Aggravating factors:

• Numerous instances of professional misconduct over about 5 years
• Dishonest misuse of trust monies on over 90 occasions
• Serious consequences caused to clients (e.g. judgments entered against them)
• Persistent failure to respond to client communications and progress matters

Mitigating factors:

• Consented to being struck off and did not oppose the application
• Agreed facts and consented to findings following mediation