Kevin Gordon Jones

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

Kevin Gordon Jones, a solicitor employed in the Legal Department of Sheffield City Council, fabricated two letters purporting to come from claimant's solicitors Messrs Graysons, inflating a personal injury claim and requesting a cheque for £19,350 payable to "Susan Jones" (his wife's middle name), and submitted a false cheque requisition. No cheque was produced as Council employees became suspicious. He admitted the conduct but claimed it was an ill-conceived whistle-blowing exercise to expose deficiencies in Council procedures, denying dishonest intent on allegation iii. The Tribunal found dishonesty alleged and accepted on allegations i and ii; allegation iii was not put on the basis of dishonesty. The Respondent was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £923.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Fabrication of correspondence purporting to come from another solicitor
• Creation of a false file record which could carry evidential value
• Attempt to procure a cheque payable in his wife's name for his own benefit
• Breach of the highest standards of probity expected of solicitors

Mitigating factors:

• Claimed motive was to expose deficiencies in the Council's use of public resources rather than personal gain
• Personal difficulties at the time including job, health issues and marriage breakdown
• Apologised and accepted he used the wrong means
• Voluntary work and good character as a practising Christian
• First criminal trial resulted in a hung jury