David Marriott

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

The Respondent, a non-practising solicitor admitted in 1991, was convicted on 31 October 2018 at Leeds Crown Court of two counts of sexual assault contrary to s.3 Sexual Offences Act 2003, having sexually assaulted two female paramedics who had assisted him on 25 June 2018. He received a four-month suspended custodial sentence (per count, consecutive), a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, was placed on the Barring List for 10 years, and ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge. He failed to promptly notify the SRA of his conduct, conviction, or sentence, the conviction coming to the SRA's attention via a newspaper article. On an agreed outcome dealt with on the papers, the Tribunal found the allegations proved beyond reasonable doubt and ordered the Respondent struck off the Roll, with a £1,000 costs contribution. The Tribunal found the misconduct was sexually motivated and that the Respondent had misled his regulator, but made no express finding of dishonesty.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Report serious misconduct of others

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct resulted in two serious criminal convictions
• Offences were deliberate despite intoxication
• Offences were repeated against a second victim
• Victims were vulnerable, providing a public service
• Respondent sought to conceal his misconduct by failing to self-report
• Respondent knew or ought to have known better

Mitigating factors:

• Misconduct was an isolated, albeit serious, event
• Respondent's admission demonstrated some insight into the seriousness of his conduct