Donna Roberts

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

Donna Roberts, an unqualified clerk in Hill Dickinson's Debt Recovery Department, was found to have improperly withdrawn cash purportedly for Court fees where proceedings were not issued or fees already paid, and to have billed clients for these sums. She was dismissed for gross misconduct in 2002. The Tribunal declined to make a finding of dishonesty given the high standard of proof and her denials, but found her conduct warranted a section 43 order regulating any future employment in the law. She was ordered to pay costs of £2,110.

Duties found breached:

• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct occurred over a period of years (255 occasions August 1997 to January 2002)
• Substantial sums involved (cash withdrawals totalling £28,170; clients improperly charged £10,295)
• Held a position of responsibility running the Debt Collection Department
• Failed to provide a proper explanation for the withdrawals

Mitigating factors:

• Voluntarily repaid £20,000 to the firm
• No police prosecution pursued
• In receipt of incapacity benefit and no longer employed in the law
• Consented to the making of the Order