Peter Procopi

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

The Respondent, a solicitor admitted in 1981 and working as a consultant at YVA Solicitors, was convicted at St Albans Crown Court on 15 May 2009 of two counts of acting with intent to defraud HM Revenue and two counts of making false statements with intent to defraud, and sentenced to nine months' imprisonment (appeal dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 3 November 2009). The Tribunal found the convictions and imprisonment proved and that the offences were clearly offences of dishonesty, breaching Rules 1.01, 1.02 and 1.06 of the SCC 2007. Relying on the trial judge's sentencing remarks (deliberate dishonesty, prior rebuke for bad conveyancing practice), the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered him to pay agreed costs of £1,277.47.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Convicted of offences of deliberate dishonesty
• Engaged in criminal activity with known criminals over a prolonged period
• Previously rebuked for bad conveyancing practice per trial judge's remarks

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary record before the Tribunal
• Offences related solely to personal taxation affairs (as argued on his behalf)