Mark Pittaway

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

The Respondent, a solicitor and manager at Thursfields Legal Limited, was convicted in March 2022 of five offences of indecent exposure under s.66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, committed while running in Dorset between 2018 and 2021, targeting school-age girls. He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for 24 months, with supervision, curfew, unpaid work and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He admitted breaching Principles relating to integrity and public trust. The Tribunal, on an agreed outcome dealt with on the papers, found his conduct disgraceful and incompatible with the profession, and ordered him struck off the Roll with costs of £2,850. No express finding of dishonesty was made (breach of integrity only).

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct occurred over a lengthy period (2018-2021)
• Young girls / vulnerable female victims were deliberately targeted
• Lack of insight into his conduct
• Planned misconduct with direct control over his actions
• Held positions of responsibility (Manager, COLP, MLCO)

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent conceded there was nothing he could usefully say by way of mitigation