Anthony David Bare

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

The respondent, a solicitor admitted in 1992, was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of two counts of indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl, whom he met through acting as solicitor for her mother, and was sentenced to three years and six months' imprisonment. He admitted the allegation but did not attend (being detained in prison). The Tribunal found the allegation substantiated, deprecated his behaviour for bringing the profession into disrepute, struck him off the Roll, and ordered costs of £800 (agreed down from £966.28).

Duties found breached:

• No unlawful discrimination or harassment

Aggravating factors:

• Criminal conviction involving a child victim
• Victim introduced through his professional role as solicitor for her mother
• Sought to place responsibility on his victim
• No mitigation of a guilty plea; victim had to give evidence
• Substantial custodial sentence; on sex offenders' register for life

Mitigating factors:

• Previous good character
• Admitted the allegation