An apprentice solicitor has been subjected to a section 43 order after stating his reason for his absence from work was due to illness when he had in fact been arrested.
Owen Goodhand was training as a solicitor at Martin Tolhurt Partnership LLP until he was dismissed by the firm on 24 June 2025 after the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) found his conduct to be “dishonest”.
His dismissal occurred following an incident in which he sent an email to the firm’s HR manager and his supervisor on 1 April 2025 citing “illness” as the reason for his absence on 28 March that year.
It was revealed that Goodhand had been arrested on the day of absence following a police investigation, the SRA confirmed, and was later released on bail, with the police investigation eventually being closed with no further action.
During a meeting with his supervisor on 28 April 2025, it was heard Goodhand had failed to disclose his arrest in response to a “direct question”.
A further meeting the following month with the compliance officer for legal practice at the firm saw the apprentice disclose details of his arrest and admit being “dishonest” when previously questioned about his absence.
Summarising the decision to impose a sanction, the SRA said: “An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Goodhand’s conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval.
“This was because of the serious nature of his conduct which was dishonest.”
Goodhand was ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600.
