Philip Langtree Redstone

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

Philip Langtree Redstone, a conveyancing clerk (not a solicitor), was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of using a false instrument with intent and sentenced to 160 hours community service. He had borrowed £25,000 from a former client of his employer firm, producing a forged letter of guarantee purporting to be from his mother. The loan was not repaid. The Tribunal refused a further adjournment (no valid medical evidence of unfitness) and, finding the conviction disclosed dishonesty, made a Section 43 order restricting his employment in the solicitors' profession without Law Society permission, and ordered him to pay costs of £921.96.

Duties found breached:

• Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience

Aggravating factors:

• Offence committed whilst employed as a solicitor's clerk
• Forged a letter of guarantee purporting to be from his mother without her knowledge
• Loan of £25,000 not repaid and guarantee worthless

Mitigating factors:

• Applicant accepted there may have been some substance that the money was to be invested in the solicitor's practice