Lesley Helen Baggott

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

Lesley Helen Baggott, a former solicitor's clerk employed as a cashier at Nevills solicitors (April–September 1991), was convicted on her own confession at Stafford Crown Court on 16 November 1993 of theft and false accounting, having appropriated £571.74 of client money (she said she had paid herself overtime without authority). The Law Society sought a Section 43(2) order. The respondent did not attend and the application was unopposed. The Tribunal found the allegation substantiated, noting the conviction disclosed dishonesty, and made an order controlling her employment by solicitors. She was ordered to pay £632.40 costs plus a £500 contribution towards the Investigation Accountant's costs.

Duties found breached:

• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Her actions contributed to the need for inspection of her employer's books of account

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent no longer working within the solicitors' profession