Matthew Jones

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

Matthew Jones, a solicitor's clerk at Goldstones Solicitors, misled his client Mr P and his employers about the progress of Mr P's criminal appeal, and forged a Court of Appeal Judge's Order purporting to refuse leave to appeal. He was convicted in 2004 of perverting the course of justice and given a six-month suspended sentence. The Tribunal found the allegations substantiated (uncontested) and made a Section 43 order restricting his future employment in the solicitors' profession, describing his behaviour as dishonest, and ordered him to pay costs of £1,400.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Disclose adverse law to the court
• Prosecutorial duty of disclosure
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Forgery of a court document
• Conduct led to a criminal conviction for perverting the course of justice

Mitigating factors:

• Reported his conviction to the Law Society
• Remorse and contrition
• Admitted the allegations, which were uncontested
• Considerable delay in bringing proceedings put extra pressure on Respondent
• Difficult financial position and had already paid costs following his conviction