Phillip John Leslie Stokes

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

Solicitor admitted in 1980 and indefinitely suspended in 1991 for accounts rules breaches was convicted in 1995 of three counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of obtaining property by deception, sentenced to three years imprisonment. He practised without a practising certificate and held himself out as entitled to practise despite suspension, using other solicitors' names. The Tribunal found all allegations substantiated, found deliberate dishonesty, and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £568.02.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Personal probity and fitness to practise
• Hold a current practising certificate

Aggravating factors:

• Deliberate persistent dishonesty involving some £150,000 taken via cheque fraud scheme and £82,000 mortgage fraud
• Assumed the identity of another solicitor (Mr Gardener) to obtain a Practising Certificate
• Committed the deception offence while on bail for the cheques offence
• Prior disciplinary history including indefinite suspension in 1991 for accounts rules breaches
• Attempted to launder money via travellers cheques