SRA rebukes former Thomas Eggar partner for paying witnesses
Former Thomas Eggar personal injury partner Steven Eldred rebuked by the SRA for breach of the profession's rules
August 16, 2015 at 07:03 PM
2 minute read
The Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) has rebuked a former Thomas Eggar partner for paying witness in breach of the regulator's rules.
Steven Eldred was a partner in the Southampton office of 70-partner firm Thomas Eggar in its personal injury practice. He specialised in handling noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus cases.
The SRA found that Eldred had made payments to witnesses that could have swayed the evidence they gave in court. Some of the payments were dependent on the outcome of the case.
It also found he withheld client account cheques from an insurance company.
Eldred resigned from the firm in February this year.
Eldred trained at Southampton firm Lamport Bassit, qualifying in 1997, before rising through the ranks and making partner in 2006. He joined Thomas Eggar as a partner in April 2009.
According to the SRA Eldred was given a written rebuke and was ordered to pay costs.
The SRA also issued a control order against Michael Elliott, a non-solicitor who also worked in the firm's Southampton office. The SRA found that Elliott had failed to inform clients of his financial interest in a medical agency and had photocopied a signature of his team leader and used it to request cheques.
The SRA found it would be "undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice" in the future and any firm now wishing to employ him will have to seek the regulator's permission. Elliott also resigned from the firm.
A Thomas Eggar spokesperson said: "Thomas Eggar LLP promptly reported this matter to the SRA and took measures to satisfy all parties that no client had been adversely affected.
"We conducted a thorough investigation into the conduct of the two individuals and as a result neither Mr Elliot or Mr Eldred remained engaged with Thomas Eggar in any capacity."
Eldred declined to comment.
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