Worked for Coutts
A Chelsea-based banking solicitor has received a suspended sentence after being caught with thousands of indecent images of children.
Faliq Mohamed Ismail, a former solicitor at the Queen’s bank, Coutts, admitted possessing more than 1,300 videos and images of children that fell into the most serious category A, the Mail Online reports. The 35-year-old also admitted to having 221 videos and 2,476 still images, categorised as B.
Ismail reportedly had a collection of over 14,000 images, and also admitted to distributing them online, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Ismail was handed a 16 month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This prohibits the solicitor from using internet browsers or messaging apps which do not save their history, according to the report. He will also be required to hand over any electronic devices for inspection by the police upon request.
Sentencing Ismail, Judge Michael Grieve said: “It imposes considerable restrictions on his use of the internet, software programmes, and he must make his devices available to the police. I’m satisfied that the making of the order is necessary for the protection of the public from sexual harm.”
He continued: “In particular children, going as close as one can to preventing him from accessing this type of material in the future. It is an offence to breach the terms of the order, which carries a sentence of up to five years.”
It was reported last month that Ismail previously worked for Clifford Chance, K&L Gates, Latham & Watkins and Goodwin Proctor.
A spokesperson for NatWest, which owns Coutts, said: “We can confirm that the individual is no longer employed by the bank.”
