Michael Rowland Tiplady

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

Michael Rowland Tiplady, a solicitor admitted in 1990, was convicted on 6 August 2007 of three counts of furnishing false information relating to accounts (tax evasion totalling £1,046 involving forgery/false information to his accountant). He was sentenced to 150 hours unpaid work and fined £3,500. The SRA brought proceedings under Rule 1.06 of the Solicitors Code of Conduct 2007. Although the Respondent had sought to have his name removed from the Roll (an application refused pending the investigation), the Tribunal found the allegation proved and held that his criminal conviction was incompatible with remaining on the Roll. He did not appear. The Tribunal struck him off and ordered costs of £1,531.35. The offences were committed in his personal capacity, not as a solicitor, and the Tribunal made no express finding of dishonesty in the disciplinary context.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead third parties or opponents

Aggravating factors:

• Not an isolated incident - offences committed on three occasions over a period of one year
• Respondent admitted committing offences believing there was a small chance of being detected
• Serious offences involving forgery and false tax returns

Mitigating factors:

• Offences committed in personal capacity, not while acting as or holding himself out as a solicitor
• Pleaded guilty (albeit at a late stage)