Robert Steven Callen

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

Robert Steven Callen, a retired solicitor, dishonestly procured payments by cheque totalling £15,000 from VHJ, an 89-year-old vulnerable former client, by falsely claiming she owed him money. He wrote out three cheques payable to his partner, a friend and his daughter, of which £10,000 was received. He repaid £10,000 only after VHJ demanded its return. He admitted the allegation and dishonesty. The Tribunal, dealing with the matter on the papers via an agreed outcome, found no exceptional circumstances and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £2,574.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Honesty
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Victim vulnerable by reason of age (89, 83 at the time) and infirmity
• Serious injury, constant pain, requiring daily care
• Made false representations and two visits to victim's home
• Approximately 34 years' experience as a solicitor
• Benefitted himself to victim's detriment
• Harm was foreseeable; high culpability
• Only repaid money after victim demanded its return

Mitigating factors:

• No prior disciplinary complaints in 33/34 years of practice
• Full cooperation with the SRA
• Early admissions
• Voluntarily refunded £10,000 to victim so she suffered no loss
• Failing health and bereavement; expressed remorse and apology