By Gabriel Princewill-
A solicitor has been convicted of stalking a court observer after a series of unwanted and harassing communications related to court proceedings at a Magistrates’ Court.
Andrew Jonathan Milne, 63-(pictured) a solicitor of 40 years- was convicted of stalking without fear after a seven-day trial at Stratford magistrates’ court.
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He had denied the charge but District Judge Towell found that his conduct towards court blogger Daniel Cloake in 2024, which included sending around 120 emails to Cloake, leaving two voicemails on his birthday, sending him a book and ‘loitering outside’ Cloake’s home, amounted to harassment.
The judge made reference to evidence contradicting Milne’s claim of an intimate relationship with Cloake, adding: ‘Your account there was a relationship is wholly contrary to the content of the emails you sent.’
The defendant, name withheld for legal reporting restrictions pending sentencing, was found by the district judge to have bombarded a legal blogger and court observer with persistent messages described as containing “aggressive threats of litigation and uninvited sexual innuendo.”
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The level of conduct — including repeated emails — was deemed sufficient to constitute stalking under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
This case follows earlier allegations at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last month, where the same solicitor had denied stalking after reportedly sending more than 120 emails and letters following social meetings at professional events.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled that the offence which involved repeated unsolicited contact and items left for the victim warranted suspension to protect both the public and the profession’s reputation.
Profession Under Scrutiny
Solicitors in England and Wales form a profession more than 200,000 strong, with roughly 166,000 practising solicitors as of 2024 — all bound by a regulatory framework designed to “protect the public and promote high standards of professional conduct.”
Yet, regulatory data shows that concerns about solicitor conduct ranging from confidentiality breaches to misleading the court remain a consistent feature of the oversight landscape.
In the year to late 2024, the SRA received almost 11,000 reports about solicitors and firms, over half coming from members of the public.
In the corporate sphere, recent enforcement data indicates that nearly a third of law firms inspected failed to fully comply with anti-money-laundering regulations, resulting in fines of approximately £1.5 million across the sector from 2024–25.
This indicates broader regulatory challenges facing the profession, even outside the personal misconduct sphere.
Duty to Maintain Public Confidence
Solicitors are officers of the court and are entrusted with unique responsibilities .
They advise clients, draft and present legal arguments, and are frequently granted unsupervised access to vulnerable clients’ affairs.
This trust is underpinned by a strict code of conduct emphasizing integrity, respect for the rule of law, and the duty to uphold public confidence in the legal system.
“Professional status carries more than privilege,” legal ethicist Dr. Hannah Fraser explains. “It creates obligations — to avoid conflicts, to respect boundaries, and to conduct oneself with decorum, even in personal matters. When those standards are breached, the damage isn’t just to a reputation, but to public faith in justice itself.”
The stalking conviction of a solicitor will now go to sentencing, where commentators expect the court to weigh not only the individual’s conduct but the symbolic breach of trust such a conviction represents.
This case for the SRA adds urgency to ongoing debates about how best to protect the public while maintaining robust, fair oversight of professional conduct.
One senior solicitor put it: “We’re guardians of a system that depends on trust. When one of our own commits an offence of this nature, everyone — regulator, profession and public alike — must grapple with its implications.”
Solicitors Convicted Of Stalking In The Past
Matthew Howells – A solicitor who admitted stalking his ex-girlfriend and was convicted at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court in March 2023. He received a 12-month community order and restraining order, and was later suspended from practising for six months by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Linda Lu – A London-based solicitor who was found guilty of stalking her neighbours and sentenced to 5½ years in prison in late 2024 after a trial involving persistent harassment and abusive conduct.
Alan Harris – A former criminal defence solicitor from Plymouth was found guilty of multiple indecent assault and sexual assault offences against former clients. His trial concluded in December 2025 and he awaits sentencing in early 2026.
Aqeeb Khan – A trainee solicitor who was convicted of stalking in 2016 at Shropshire Magistrates’ Court (prior to his legal career) and subsequently barred from working in law under a section 43 order from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Phil Shiner – A once-prominent human rights solicitor who was struck off in 2017 after misconduct findings related to false abuse claims against British troops (professional disciplinary conviction, not stalking or violent crime).
Angus Diggle – A British former solicitor convicted of attempted rape in 1993 and later struck off the roll; historical case. He was convicted in 1993 of attempted rape of a fellow lawyer after a Highland Ball and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Swansea Crown Court.
His sentence was reduced on appeal to two years’ imprisonment, and he was released after serving around 12 months (due to full remission for good behaviour).
He was struck off the Roll of Solicitors in 1998 with subsequent disciplinary actions
Alan Blacker – A former solicitor convicted of benefit fraud in 2019 led to bankruptcy and professional disqualification, though not a violent or harassment offence
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