John Charles Nason Craxton

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

John Charles Nason Craxton, a former solicitor, was found guilty of professional misconduct for facilitating the property fraud perpetrated by Edwin McLaren over the period 2009-2013. Acting in eight conveyancing transactions (five forming the complaint), he knowingly assisted a scheme in which distressed home owners were induced to sell properties to McLaren's nominees at reduced prices, with part of the price funnelled back to a company controlled by McLaren. The Tribunal made an express finding of dishonesty, holding he breached his common law duty not to facilitate fraud, breached duties of utmost propriety to lender clients and the CML Handbook (transactions 1 and 2), and contravened numerous practice rules and anti-money-laundering obligations. As his name had already been removed from the Roll at his request, the Tribunal ordered under s53(2)(aa) that his name be prohibited from restoration to the Roll, found him liable in expenses, and directed publicity naming him.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• AML and crime-prevention compliance
• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues

Aggravating factors:

• Facilitated a major, long-running fraudulent scheme (Edwin McLaren) knowing McLaren was the controlling mind
• Conduct described as deplorable and at the very highest level of seriousness
• Respondent was one of the major players in facilitating the fraud
• Sellers were defrauded and left without a right to remain in their homes
• Previous finding of professional misconduct (26 November 2013, relating to overcharging)
• Risk to the public and reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Admitted all factual averments and that his conduct amounted to professional misconduct
• Cooperated by giving evidence at the High Court trial (with immunity from prosecution)
• Limited income and had been sequestrated in 2011
• Significant delay in the prosecution coming before the Tribunal