Michael John Read

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

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• Diligence and timeliness

Aggravating factors:

• Prior Tribunal finding on 2 March 2000 for the same type of conduct (failure to comply with an OSS direction), fined £1,000
• Continued non-compliance despite numerous letters and extended deadlines; sums still unpaid at date of hearing
• Appeared to have abrogated his responsibilities as a solicitor

Mitigating factors:

• Deterioration in mental health; hospitalised July to August 2001
• Disastrous financial position following earlier Legal Aid fraud allegations involving his former Principal; genuinely unable to pay
• No deliberate failure to pay; not dishonest and never misappropriated money
• Living with assistance of family and seeking employment to discharge liabilities