Saleema Mahmood

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

Barrister Saleema Bibi Mahmood faced 14 charges after double booking herself in a Nottingham murder-related trial and a Stafford murder trial. Having obtained permission to attend Nottingham via CVP on the basis of her mother's ill health, she concealed from both courts that she was simultaneously appearing at Stafford, and made false statements to Judge Sampson (including using her mother's death to be excused so she could appear at Stafford). She admitted all charges. The Tribunal expressly found dishonesty on Charges 10 and 11, describing systematic and deliberate deception, and disbarred her on those charges, with concurrent 12-month and 6-month suspensions on the other charges, plus costs of £5,784 to the BSB and immediate suspension pending appeal.

Duties found breached:

• Overriding duty to the court
• Not mislead the court
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• Competence

Aggravating factors:

• Systematic and deliberate deception of two Crown Courts
• Double booked herself in two criminal trials and returned neither
• Exploited her mother's genuine illness and death as cover to conceal dual attendance
• Repeatedly misled judges and opposing counsel over multiple days
• Gave a false account to the Nottingham judge on 10 May about her Stafford attendance

Mitigating factors:

• 26 years at the Bar
• Conduct described as out of character
• Client in Nottingham had no complaints about her representation
• Admitted all charges (on the fourth day, before close of BSB case)