Decision record
(unnamed respondent)
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
The Applicant, restored to the Roll in 2020 subject to conditions following his 2011 strike-off arising from 2009 money laundering convictions, applied under Rule 18 SDPR 2019 to remove the remaining conditions. The Tribunal expressly noted no dishonesty had been pleaded or found. It found the Applicant had demonstrated progress in rehabilitation, five years of compliant supervised practice and no further misconduct, and removed the conditions barring him from holding client money and being a signatory on client accounts. However, it held public confidence would be undermined by removing all safeguards and retained conditions preventing him from practising as sole practitioner/manager/owner, from acting as COLP/COFA, and from working other than in SRA-approved employment. Application granted in part; Applicant ordered to pay SRA costs of £7,520.
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Seriousness of the original offending which arose in the course of professional practice (laundering proceeds of drug dealing through client account)
- Money laundering convictions struck at the heart of professional obligations
- Relatively brief period (about five years) of supervised practice against nine years off the Roll
Mitigating factors:
- More than five years of compliant, incident-free practice since restoration
- Full compliance with all conditions and no further misconduct
- Positive employer support and reference from Hallmark Legal Solicitors
- Completion of AML training and attendance at SRA compliance/accounts events
- Rehabilitation demonstrated despite personal adversity