Robert Steven Callen

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

In February 2018, after leaving his firm, the Respondent (a solicitor admitted in 1984) visited an 89-year-old vulnerable former client (VHJ) twice and falsely told her she owed him £15,000 when nothing was due. He wrote out three cheques (totalling £11,000) payable to his partner, a friend, and his daughter, which VHJ signed; two cheques totalling £10,000 were presented and paid. He later repaid £10,000 after VHJ demanded its return. The Tribunal found his admitted conduct dishonest under the Ivey test, with no exceptional circumstances, and approved the agreed sanction of striking off plus costs of £2,574.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonesty (expressly admitted and found)
• Victim was elderly (89/83), vulnerable due to serious injury, constant pain and need for daily care
• Abuse of position of trust (former client; held LPA for her)
• Conduct benefitted the Respondent to VHJ's detriment
• Approximately 34 years' experience; harm was foreseeable; high culpability
• Repaid money only after VHJ demanded its return

Mitigating factors:

• Full cooperation with the SRA throughout (non-agreed mitigation)
• Early admissions to majority of allegations and the rest after legal advice
• Voluntary repayment of £10,000 so VHJ suffered no loss; no claim to insurers/Compensation Fund
• Previously unblemished 33-year record with no prior complaints
• Expressed remorse and apology; offered to remove name from Roll voluntarily