Barry Anthony Ratner

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

Solicitor Barry Anthony Ratner, sole executor of an estate, dishonestly misappropriated £37,870 from estate funds intended for beneficiaries including twenty charities, giving false explanations about a fictitious loan. The Tribunal found all allegations substantiated and no doubt of dishonest misappropriation. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay £1,050.06 fixed costs plus two-thirds of the Investigation Accountant's costs. He did not appear, facing pending criminal proceedings on the same matters.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No improper use of client money
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest appropriation of £37,870 from a deceased person's estate
• Deprived charity beneficiaries of their rightful entitlement
• Gave false explanations (fictitious loan from Chancery Investments Ltd)
• Disguised theft through cheque stub showing payment to Mortgage & Money Ltd while withdrawing cash
• Theft would have been disguised in final accounts