Richard Ian Oxer

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

The Respondent, a solicitor admitted in 2015, was convicted on 7 November 2017 of three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, and on 23 November 2017 (on his own confession) of attempting to incite a 13-year-old girl to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity and attempting to cause a child of 13 to watch an image of sexual activity. He was sentenced to a total of 3 years' imprisonment, made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, ordered onto the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, and to pay a victim surcharge. The second offences were committed while on bail for the first. The Tribunal found breaches of Principles 2 and 6 (admitted) and ordered him struck off the Roll and to pay costs of £2,608. No express finding of dishonesty was made; the analysis concerned integrity.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Criminal offences committed
• Conduct deliberate, calculated and repeated
• Second, more serious offence committed while on bail
• Breach of trust of the most vulnerable; youngest child pictured was only 3 years old
• Very high culpability; very grave harm to victims and to reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Had not appeared before the Tribunal previously
• No software on devices designed to conceal his activity
• Notified the SRA of his arrest and ceased to practise
• Pleaded guilty and made admissions
• Co-operated with the Applicant
• Accepted the gravity of his actions; undertook a rehabilitation programme