A disgraced solicitor struck off for masquerading

A disgraced solicitor struck off for masquerading as a bona fide lawyer was today (fri) denied a second chance after a tribunal slammed him for not staying in touch.

Tyrone Francis, 52, hampered his chances of being thrown a lifeline for not answering important letters relating to his hearing.

And before the Welshman heard he would not be given a rehearing, he told the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal in London: ‘It’s entirely my fault.

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Francis, who has been hauled before the board six times in 15 years, ignored repeated requests from the Law Society not to act for clients.

But he turned up at a court and insisted to the clerk: ‘I am on the Roll.

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Francis, from Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire had also called for five hearings to be adjourned due to health reasons.

And he even failed to appear at his last hearing on September 11, to witness the end of his career.

The committee heard how he ignored a number of letters the body had sent him and failed to notify them of a change in address.

But Francis did not reply claiming he never received them.

He said because he was staying with friends: ‘The correspondence should have been sent on to me because I didn’t know anything was amiss,’ but added, ‘it’s entirely my fault.

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And although he had lost his certificate he still sat at Dyfed Powys Magistrates’ Court in February this year, an act that raised doubts about the truth of his illness.

He said: ‘Even though I was not well, I was asked to do a favour and went to a licensing court.

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But when he appeared he was unable to prove his professional credentials, and told the court clerk: ‘I am on the Roll.

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‘The court was on my doorstep and I was taken there and back.

‘It was not an issue of attending 250 miles away and being there all day,’ said Francis.

However, Jon Goodwin, for the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors,(OSS) hit back saying: ‘This begs the question – if he was fit enough to appear in that court, why was he not fit enough to appear in these proceedings?’

Francis worked in a partnership at Jenkins Solicitors, based in Merrick St, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire.

In August 1998 Francis became a sole practitioner, but was told by the Law Society he must work in a firm with their prior approval.

Francis also failed to comply with an order to pay compensation to clients for inadequate professional services when he worked for another firm in August 1994.

Francis had been asked to deal with two property transactions in a divorce matter for Mr and Mrs J.

In April 1999 Francis was ordered to pay the couple pnds stlg 400 each within 28 days.

But despite numerous requests Francis did not pay the compensation, the panel heard.

Ruling a rehearing would not go ahead panel chairman William Hartley said: ‘We have got the greatest sympathy for the respondent who has suffered severe health problems and other difficulties.

‘But given the seriousness of this we are surprised he has not kept in touch with the tribunal and correspondence was not properly submitted.

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Francis, of (21) Castle View, Saundersfoot, faced a number of allegations; that he practiced in breach of his certificate, that he practiced without a certificate, that he failed to comply with a direction of a senior officer, that he failed to deliver an accountants report, and that he failed to file a ‘lease to hold’ report.

In September this year, all the allegations were found proved.

The Tribunal ordered pnds stlg 1,000 costs are paid.

ends