Paralegal and a trainee solicitor have been handed section 43 orders by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) following a convictions relating to child sexual offences.
Toby Everden has had restriction placed on where and how he can work in a regulated firm by the Solicitors Regulation Authority following his November 2025 criminal conviction.
Everden, a trainee solicitor in the legal services department at the University of Southampton at the time of his conviction, pleaded guilty to charges of blackmail, making indecent photographs of a child, possessing extreme pornographic images portraying rape and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
The order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed. He was also ordered to pay £600 of the SRA’s costs.
The SRA said the order was made with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Everden of the decision
The SRA says despite Everden’s criminal conduct occurring outside work, “the serious nature of the misconduct means it is undesirable for Everden to be involved in legal practice”, without the SRA’s prior approval.
Paralegal Anthony Sykes was convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of a child (namely two category C images).
The first offence occurred between 1 June and 10 July 2023, the SRA confirmed, while he was employed as a paralegal at Ramsdens Solicitors LLP in Huddersfield.
Sykes was convicted of the offences on 11 December last year and was sentenced in January of this year to a community order. He was also subjected to notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order, both for a period of five years.
Following this conviction, the SRA deemed it necessary to impose a section 43 order, concluding that Sykes conduct meant it was “undesirable” for him to be involved in legal practice without approval from the regulator.
In conclusion, the SRA said: “Mr Sykes conduct was serious because he was convicted of sexual offences relating to children. He was directly responsible for his own conduct which had the potential to cause serious harm.
“The nature of the conviction makes it undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice without the SRA’s permission. This is because anyone involved in the provision of legal services is in a position of trust and confidence.
“Mr Sykes’ conduct seriously undermines that trust and confidence.”
The former paralegal was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.
