Targeted in “sting operation”
A former DWF partner has been struck off the roll after being caught in a “sting operation” run by a paedophile hunter group.
David Storry Walton, 68, was convicted back in October 2023 at Manchester Crown Court of intentionally attempting to communicate with a person under 16 “for the purpose of sexual gratification”.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) noted his actions were described as “sexual in nature, namely sending sexually explicit photographs, talking about masturbation, and asking about sexual preference”.
Walton was sentenced to a community order with a condition of rehabilitation, and was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
In dealing with the matter through an agreed outcome, the SDT concluded that striking Walton off the roll was “the only appropriate and proportionate sanction”, given the “serious nature of the offence”.
It was noted that Walton was arrested at his home in November 2019 as the result of a “sting” operation by a paedophile hunter group. He reported his arrest to the regulator within a few days, and the firm also notified the regulator. Walton left DWF in December 2019.
“The offence related to a decoy as opposed to a genuine child, and there was therefore no victim to the offence”, the statement said.
During his sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, His Honour Judge Conrad said: “What you did was very wrong, of course. I get the impression from reading the messages and reading what is said about the messages that in fact the perverted thrill for you was in the conversation itself rather than any concluded intention of meeting the other person, and it is of note that it stopped on 24th October and it was only a couple of weeks later when they came round to your house after everything else had gone silent.”
“It has, of course, been a matter of great shame to you and you have shown some courage in bringing it out in the open with those who know you and highly respect you; in fact, rarely have I seen such an impressive body of testimonials,” the judge continued. “I am as confident as I can be that no criminal court will ever see you again.”
Walton, who qualified in June 1981, was struck off the roll and ordered to pay costs of £3,000.