Benny Thomas

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

Two members of Consilium Chambers LLP faced SRA allegations. The First Respondent admitted four strict-liability accounts/governance breaches and was reprimanded, ordered to pay £6,201 costs. The Second Respondent, Benny Thomas, the firm's principal, was found to have committed accounts breaches, governance failures (permitting non-lawyer members), misleading the Court in immigration judicial review proceedings, being found guilty of Contempt of Court by the High Court, giving untruthful evidence on oath (with the Tribunal expressly finding dishonesty under the Twinsectra test), misleading the Legal Ombudsman, and failing to have an equality/diversity policy. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay £18,602.80 costs (not to be enforced without leave). Total costs assessed at £24,803.80, apportioned one-quarter/three-quarters. One allegation (misleading the SRA via forged NM1 form) was not proved.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Account for interest on client money
• Cooperate openly with regulators
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Express finding of dishonesty regarding evidence given on oath to the High Court
• Found guilty of Contempt in the face of the Court
• Misleading the Court, the Legal Ombudsman and the SRA
• Complete lack of insight into his actions
• Not co-operative; admissions only made on second day of hearing
• Had paid nothing towards the intervention costs

Mitigating factors:

• First Respondent: previously unwell, no harm to clients, genuine insight, paying intervention costs, honest witness, cooperative (late admissions), strict liability offences, no prior discipline
• Second Respondent: unblemished career of 10 years, assisted forensic officers, misconduct over relatively short period (Tribunal found no significant mitigating factors)