Emma
Burns
Employee
7012561
Decision - Fined
Outcome: Fine
Outcome date: 20 December 2022
Published date: 26 January 2023
Firm details
Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Askews Solicitors Limited
Address(es): 92-94 Borough Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2HJ
Firm ID: 615546
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Fined
Fine of £2,000 and SRA costs of £300.
Reasons/basis
Summary of facts
Miss Burns is an advanced paralegal and since 4 May 2021 she has been employed by Askews Solicitors Limited. Ms Burns is involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.
Following an arrest which occurred on 1 March 2020, Ms Burns was convicted of:
- driving whilst unfit through excess alcohol, contrary to section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, on 19 August 2020, and
- assault on an emergency worker, contrary to Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1998 and Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers Offences Act 2018, on 17 December 2021.
Findings
- By driving on 1 March 2020 with a level of alcohol above that of the legal limit, Ms Burns failed to behave in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors’ profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons, in breach of Principle 2 of the SRA Principles 2019.
- By assaulting a police officer on 1 March 2020, Ms Burns failed to behave in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors’ profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons, in breach of Principle 2 of the SRA Principles 2019, and failed to act with integrity, in breach of Principle 5 of the SRA Principles 2019.
Ms Burns was directed to pay a financial penalty of £2,000 and costs of £300.