Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay in Law Society Gazette on SRA’s “excessive” fine
25 Jan 2024
Barrister Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay has written an opinion article for the Law Society Gazette in which he argues that the near £14,000 fine handed to a solicitor for driving with excess alcohol is “to say the least, excessive”.
Christopher argues that the fine (which is 31 times bigger than that the fine imposed by a criminal court) effectively punishes the solicitor twice for the same offence, and for no discernible public benefit.
“It is difficult to see how [the solicitor’s] actions have damaged the rule of law or the proper administration of justice, or why a rebuke or warning would not have been a sufficient sanction by the SRA”, Christopher writes.
“The SRA says its role is not to punish a person twice for the same offence; apparently it thinks that punishing them 31 times is more appropriate.”
Chris’ article is available on the LSG website here, or as a download below.
