Charles Clutton

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

The Respondent, a solicitor, was convicted at Knutsford Crown Court of six offences under the Environmental Protection Act and fined £9,000 for signing false returns to the local authority understating the number of cattle carcasses incinerated by his family company. The Tribunal found the allegation of conduct unbefitting a solicitor substantiated and, relying on the sentencing Recorder's finding, treated the conduct as dishonest. Despite significant mitigation and concern about proportionality given his brother's greater role, the Tribunal held that a solicitor who knowingly signed false returns could not remain a solicitor and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £577.33, with filing suspended for seven days.

Duties found breached:

• Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience

Aggravating factors:

• Knowingly signed false returns on three separate occasions
• Concealment to enable extra profit as found by the sentencing Recorder
• Dishonesty affecting the reputation of the solicitors' profession

Mitigating factors:

• Acts took place on only three days
• Business run almost exclusively by his brother; peripheral involvement
• Difficult to refuse a family member
• No previous disciplinary history and unblemished professional record
• No claim against indemnity insurance
• No damage to environment or pollution
• Accurate returns made to Intervention Board; company paid only for work done
• Already paid heavy price through fine and costs in criminal proceedings
• Not a danger to the public