Disciplinary Record - Christopher Anthony Walker

Decision - Agreement

Outcome: Regulatory settlement agreement

Outcome date: 15 April 2020

Published date: 30 April 2020

Firm details

No detail provided:

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by agreement.

Decision details

1. Agreed outcome

1.1 Christopher Walker ("Mr Walker") (otherwise known as 'Christopher Jones') was a Paralegal employed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Mr Walker agrees to the following outcome to the investigation of his conduct by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA):

1. to the SRA making an order under section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 (a Section 43 Order) in relation to Mr Walker that, from the date of this agreement:
   1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his practice as a solicitor
   2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice
   3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him
   4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body
   5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body
   6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such body shall permit him to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA's prior permission.
2. to the publication of this agreement

2. Summary of Facts

2.1 On 3 July 2019, Mr Walker (otherwise known as Mr Jones) was convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court of 2 counts of attempting to cause a female aged 13 or over to engage in sexual activity involving the penetration of her vagina with her finger and 2 counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.

2.2 The offences were committed in an on-line environment. The convictions do not relate to imagery or photographs, but online conversations.

2.3 On 29 July 2019, Mr Walker was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment and he was required to register for 10 years under section 92 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years under section 103 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

2.4 At the time of the commission of these offences, Mr Walker was involved in a legal practice as a Paralegal under the direction and supervision of a solicitor. As a result of these convictions, the SRA is of the opinion that it would be undesirable for Mr Walker to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways mentioned below, pursuant to Section 43(1)(a) Solicitors Act 1974.

3. Why the agreed outcome is appropriate

3.1 The SRA and Mr Walker agree that a Section 43 Order is appropriate because:

1. Mr Walker is not a solicitor
2. by virtue of his employment at the SRA he was involved in a legal practice and undertaking work in the name of, or under the direction or supervision of, a solicitor
3. he has been convicted of an offence the nature of which makes it undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice.

3.2 The SRA considers it appropriate that this agreement is published in the interests of transparency in the regulatory and disciplinary process.

3.3 The SRA has taken into account the admissions made by Mr Walker.

3.4 In deciding that the agreed outcome is proportionate, the SRA has taken into account the following mitigation:

1. Mr Walker cooperated with the SRA by providing full and frank admissions immediately when the SRA contacted him.
2. Mr Walker entered an early guilty plea at court. He acknowledged the seriousness of his offences and promptly accepted that his convictions would result in a regulatory outcome.
3. He has expressed regret and remorse for his actions.
4. The conviction related to his conduct outside of work.

4. Acting in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement

4.1 Mr Walker agrees that he will not act in any way which is inconsistent with this agreement such as, for example, by denying responsibility for the conduct referred to above.

The date of this Agreement is 15 April 2020.