David McCarey Lancaster

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

The Respondent, a solicitor and partner in a Portsmouth firm with a criminal practice, was convicted at Exeter Crown Court in October 2006 of attempting to incite another to pervert the course of justice after a BBC undercover investigation recorded him coaching a supposed client on how to resist evidence. He was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. The Tribunal found the uncontested allegation of conduct unbefitting a solicitor substantiated, noting he abdicated his duties as an officer of the court. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £583.00.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage

Aggravating factors:

• Conviction for a serious criminal offence, sentenced to 3 years imprisonment
• Behaviour undermined the reputation of the legal profession
• Abdicated responsibilities for probity, integrity and trustworthiness and duties as an officer of the court
• Sought to pervert the course of justice by coaching a person he believed to be a client to resist evidence

Mitigating factors:

• Admitted the allegation and did not contest it
• Expressed deep remorse for dishonouring the profession
• Punishment already received from the criminal court
• Accepted he would not practise again