Richard Edwin Evans

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

The Respondent, a solicitor admitted in 1974 and former partner at Park Woodfine Solicitors, was convicted on his own guilty plea of four counts of theft and eight counts of false accounting relating to misuse of clients' monies totalling £153,583 over about six years, receiving two years imprisonment. The Tribunal proceeded in his absence, refusing an adjournment, found the allegation of conduct unbefitting a solicitor substantiated, and found he had acted dishonestly in breach of the fundamental principle that clients' funds are sacrosanct. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £936.56.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Convicted of four counts of theft and eight counts of false accounting
• Forty-nine other offences taken into account
• Total sum taken £153,583 over a period of about six years
• Considerable degree of trust reposed in him
• Attempts to cover up the thefts
• Sentenced to two years imprisonment

Mitigating factors:

• Guilty plea
• Did not squander money on an extravagant lifestyle