REES: CPS LAWYER FINED AFTER SKIPPING TRAINING

A crown prosecutor has been fined £3,300 for failing to complete the 12 hours of legal training he needed to keep his license up to date.

Ieuan Rees, a senior barrister based at Angel Chambers, Kings Road, Swansea, told the Bar Standards Board he had done the ‘professional development’ course they demanded in 2008.

But today’s hearing was told that despite numerous reminders over three years, Rees, failed to send them any evidence of his work.

The lawyer, who qualified from Gray’s Inn in 1982 and prosecutes cases across south Wales, was fined £300 for the offence in early 2011 but failed to pay the penalty despite promising to do so in a letter dated April 29.

Nicholas Wilcox, for the BSB, said: ‘He said he completed the number of hours, which he didn’t do, and he said he would forward a cheque for £300, which he didn’t do.’

Now Rees could face being suspended from work for three months if he fails to complete the training by November 30 and pay £3,300, plus £84 costs.

Chairman Keith Rowley QC found him guilty of three counts of professional misconduct.

He said: ‘Mr Rees is a senior barrister who should be aware of these professional obligations.

‘He has not attended before this tribunal, has provided no written representations and offered no mitigation.

‘We have seen an email from Mr Rees from March 10 in which he swore to remedy his outstanding obligations, but he has still not done so and has offered no explanation.’

The panel were also asked to bear in mind Rees’ previous record of misconduct.

In 2002 he was fined £750, plus £162.50 in costs, for practicing without a certificate from March to December 2001.

Then two years later he was fined £3,000, plus £279 in costs, for committing the same offence from January to October 2003.

Rees was found guilty of failing to complete 12 hours of training, failing to send in his professional development card and failing to pay the original £300 fine.

ends