Lennox Andrew Manifold

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

The Respondent, a former solicitor removed from the Roll in June 2009, was convicted at Bristol Crown Court on 18 December 2009 of 14 counts of conspiracy to obtain property by deception relating to falsely countersigning passport applications, and sentenced to imprisonment (reduced on appeal to 36 months). The Tribunal found the offences were ones of dishonesty and that they breached Rule 1.06 SCC, diminishing public trust in the profession. As the Respondent was no longer on the Roll and could not be struck off, the Tribunal ordered that his name be prohibited from restoration to the Roll except by Order of the Tribunal, and ordered him to pay agreed costs of £1,500.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Offences were deliberate, calculated and persistent, lasting over five years (January 2001 to August 2006)
• Conviction of dishonesty offences resulting in significant imprisonment
• Abuse of the trust placed in a solicitor as a passport countersignatory

Mitigating factors:

• No financial gain from the offences
• Left the partnership to protect colleagues and the firm
• Suffered from acute depression since 2007/2008
• Used time in prison productively, helping other inmates, with positions of responsibility and no reprimands
• No previous disciplinary matters