Dale Stephenson
Solicitor
627013

Decision - Prosecution

Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Outcome date: 17 December 2015

Published date: 15 January 2018

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Ashton Fox Solicitors Limited

Address(es): 4 Millennium City Business Park, Barnfield Way, Ribbleton, Preston, Lancashire PR2 5DB

Firm ID: 622999

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

Outcome of SDT Hearing

This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. This is an independent Tribunal which reaches its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Respondent. The Tribunal had certified that there was a case to answer.

The matter was heard on 2 July 2018.

Mr Stephenson was fined £50,001 and the Tribunal also ordered that, as from 2 July 2018, except in accordance with Law Society permission:-

(i) No solicitor shall employ or remunerate Mr Stephenson, in connection with his practice as a solicitor;

(ii) No employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate the said Mr Stephenson , in connection with the solicitor’s practice;

(iii) No recognised body shall employ or remunerate the said Mr Stephenson;

(iv) No manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate the said Mr Stephenson in connection with the business of that body;

(v) No recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit the said Mr Stephenson to be a manager of the body;

(vi) No recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit the said Mr Stephenson to have an interest in the body.

The SDT judgment will be available at www.solicitorstribunal.org.uk