Stephen Donald Gillings Coleclough

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

The Respondent, admitted to the Roll in 1986, was convicted on 25 February 2016 at Northampton Crown Court of one count of possession of extreme pornographic images, six counts of making indecent photographs of a child, and one count of distributing indecent photographs of children. He was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment suspended for 24 months, plus a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, 10-year notification requirements, and rehabilitation activities. By reason of these convictions, the Tribunal found breaches of Principles 1, 2 and 6 of the SRA Principles 2011 proved (and admitted). Via an agreed outcome, the Tribunal ordered the Respondent be struck off the Roll and pay costs of £1,488.76. The Tribunal also made an order that a sensitive letter from Murdochs Solicitors remain confidential. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Commission of serious criminal offences
• Breaches took place over 14 months and involved indecent photographs of vulnerable people (children)
• Misconduct the Respondent knew or ought reasonably to have known was in material breach of obligations to protect the public and the reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Voluntary guilty plea
• Informed the SRA of both his charge and conviction
• Made early admissions to the allegations
• Did not seek to excuse his criminal behaviour