Hugh Alexander Jackson

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

The Respondent, a solicitor, was convicted of possessing prohibited images of children and making indecent photographs of a child (x9), involving around 230 images accessed over about five years, including 24 in the most serious category (Category A) with victims as young as two. He received a 12-month suspended sentence plus additional orders. He admitted breaches of Principles 1, 2 and 6. The Tribunal found the misconduct at the high end of seriousness, found no significant personal mitigation, and, though no dishonesty was expressly found, ordered him struck off the Roll and to pay costs of £2,425.22.

Duties found breached:

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

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct involved commission of a serious criminal offence referred to Crown Court for sentencing
• Deliberate and repeated conduct over a period of years
• Took advantage of vulnerable people - children, one assessed as young as two years old
• 24 images in the most serious category (Category A)
• Viewed images both at home and at work and concealed his wrongdoing
• Significant reputational harm to the profession and media publicity

Mitigating factors:

• Accepted guilt at an early stage in the magistrates' court
• Voluntarily notified the Applicant of the conviction
• Showed insight by seeking and undertaking therapy independently before trial
• Open and frank cooperation with police and the SRA