Kerry Ann Stevens

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

Kerry Ann Stevens, a criminal law solicitor, was convicted at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on 22 March 2022 of two Fraud Act 2006 offences. First, on 25 February 2020 she falsely represented she would return to pay a £60.91 Harvester restaurant bill and did not. Second, on 21 January 2021 she falsely claimed to have paid £43.47 for a takeaway food order. The Tribunal relied on the convictions as conclusive proof of facts and found both allegations proved, including express findings of dishonesty (applying Ivey), breaches of Principles 2, 4 and 5, lack of integrity, and failure to uphold public trust. Stevens did not engage or attend; the Tribunal proceeded in her absence. Finding no exceptional circumstances under Sharma/James, the Tribunal struck her off the Roll and ordered £4,489 costs.

Duties found breached:

• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Motivation was personal financial gain
• Offences were premeditated and deliberate
• Two offences committed almost a year apart, not an isolated incident
• Element of attempted concealment (shutting door on delivery driver, evading restaurant's recovery attempts)
• As a criminal law practitioner she knew she was in material breach of obligations