By Ashley Young -
David Eric Brown, a director and an owner of Wosskow firm from 2017, has been fined £74,000 for allowing the law firms to be used for a dubious investment schemes . He admitted causing or allowing the firm’s client account to be used as a banking facility on two occasions. David Brown was ordered to pay a fine of £35,000 and costs of £39,324 on a joint and several basis with Ian Brown.
Two other members of the same firm were ordered to pay £60k in fines after a dodgy investment scheme was reported to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal solicitor whilst one has been struck off for breaching accounting rules.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority accused John Knight who worked at Wosskow Brown law firm in Yorkshire of allowing the firm’s client account to be used as a banking facility. It also accused Knight of involving himself and his firm in a project which ‘bore the hallmarks of being a dubious investment scheme’. Knight admitted the allegations.
Knight also admitted the creation of documents about the firm’s handling of the matter when a forensic investigation officer got involved. The SRA said ‘contemporaneous’ notes were created on Knight’s work computer 18 months after events were purportedly recorded. The respondent admitted that his conduct was dishonest.
The SDT struck Knight off the roll of solicitors and ordered him to pay costs of £19,662.
Also sanctioned was Knight’s then-supervisor, Ian David Brown. The tribunal found that Ian Brown, admitted in 2000, failed to adequately supervise Knight in respect of the care home scheme in that Knight caused or allowed the firm’s client account to be used as a banking facility. It also concluded that Ian Brown failed to adequately supervise Knight’s involvement with the care home project, which reflected signs of a dubious investment scheme.
The award winning solicitor firm(pictured) based in Sheffield is normally known for its professional excellence, but this case has cast doubt on its integrity.
LACK OF SUPERVISION
The tribunal criticised the lack of supervision in the matters concerned, describing them as abysmal’ and noted that Ian Brown was the firm’s compliance officer for legal practice and for finance and administration. However, it noted the respondent had expressed remorse and had a previously unblemished career.Ian Brown was ordered to pay a fine of £25,000 and £39,324 in costs on a joint and several basis.
Meanwhile, David Eric Brown, a director and an owner of the firm from 2017, was also sanctioned. He admitted causing or allowing the firm’s client account to be used as a banking facility on two occasions. David Brown was ordered to pay a fine of £35,000 and costs of £39,324 on a joint and several basis with Ian Brown.
Image:Woskow. hotmail.co.uk