Michael Fabian Spungin

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

Michael Fabian Spungin, admitted 1962, practised as Armstrong Spungin & Scott in Nottingham. A Law Society inspection revealed a client account shortage of £8,706.59, improper retention of client money in office account, false accounting entries, and seventeen fictitious client loans totalling £28,692.81. He admitted all allegations of conduct unbefitting a solicitor in writing through his solicitors but did not attend due to ill health. The Tribunal found the allegations substantiated, describing his conduct as disgraceful and finding he had taken large sums of clients' money for his own purposes, causing large claims on the Compensation Fund. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £5,675.85.

Duties found breached:

• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Course of conduct over a period of time
• Seventeen fictitious loans totalling £28,692.81
• Minimum cash shortage of £8,706.59 on client account
• Substantial exposure of the Compensation Fund (net £1,316,071.75)

Mitigating factors:

• Mental and physical ill health
• Claimed he always intended to repay the monies
• Financial hardship and dependence on children
• Admitted the allegations