Decision record
Diljit Bachada
JurisdictionEngland & Wales
BodySolicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT)
Professionsolicitor
Case number11866/2018
Date01/01/2018
OutcomeStrike off
Allegation / charges
Criminal Convictions
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionStrike Off
CostsGBP 1,650
Dishonesty foundYes
Diljit Bachada, admitted in 2001, was convicted on 20 July 2017 after trial of two counts of fraud by false representation and two counts of perverting the course of justice, and sentenced to 4 years 6 months imprisonment. She had created false employment documents and made false representations to a civil court and to police. The matter was resolved by an Agreed Outcome dealt with on the papers. The Tribunal found her admissions properly made and, given the nature of the convictions (including dishonesty offences), ordered that she be struck off the Roll and pay costs of £1,650.
Duties found breached:
- No taking unfair advantage
- Uphold public trust in the profession
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
Aggravating factors:
- Commission of serious criminal offences leading to a substantial custodial sentence (4 years 6 months)
- Offences of fraud by false representation involved dishonest false representations
- Breaches took place over a period of time (some 4.5 years)
- Conduct she knew or ought to have known was in material breach of obligations to uphold administration of justice and protect the profession's reputation
Mitigating factors:
- Early admissions in the proceedings
- Wish to conclude the matter as soon as possible
Duties engaged
- Overriding duty to the court
- Honesty
- No taking unfair advantage
- No bribery or improper gifts
- Personal probity and fitness to practise
- Uphold public trust in the profession
- No unlawful discrimination or harassment
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- Hold a current practising certificate
- Serve justice and improve the law