Left Harvester restaurant without paying
A criminal solicitor has been struck off after dining and dashing on multiple occasions.
Kerry Ann Stevens was found by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to have failed to pay for food on two occasions between February 2020 and January 2021.
The first incident occurred in a Harvester restaurant, where the former solicitor racked up a bill of £60.91 before leaving without paying. Almost a year later, she claimed to have paid for £43.47 of takeaway food that was delivered to her, when she had not in fact done so.
Stevens’ actions saw her face a criminal conviction last year, resulting in fines totalling £880, along with a bill for £200 compensation, £775 of costs, and a victim surcharge of £88. Her appeal against this was dismissed by Ipswich Crown Court in July 2023.
Now, however, she has also been struck off the roll for her actions, which the SDT said was “the only appropriate sanction”.
“There was obvious harm caused to the profession by a solicitor committing criminal offences, particularly when it was for financial gain. In this case, there had been loss caused to the Harvester restaurant and to the delivery driver from the Essex Grill who effectively had to pay for Ms Stevens’ meal.”
The tribunal added that, because of her criminal practice area, “Ms Stevens would have therefore been in no doubt whatsoever that she was committing criminal offences on each occasion”.
“Such conduct would be considered dishonest by the standards of ordinary, decent people,” the tribunal added.
In addition to being struck off, Stevens was ordered to pay £4,489 in costs.