Thomas
Hagyard
Employee
642436
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 9 August 2022
Published date: 25 October 2022
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
Address(es): One Wood Street, London EC2V 7WS
Firm ID: 383181
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
The facts
On 14 October 2021 Mr Hagyard was convicted of two counts of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003. He was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The events which led to his conviction occurred on 16 October 2017. Mr Hagyard was employed as a trainee solicitor by the recognised body, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP at the time. Mr Hagyard was invited to a house party by a fellow trainee where he sexually assaulted two women.
The firm suspended Mr Hagyard in October 2017 when it became aware of the allegations. It terminated his training contract on 15 June 2018.
Finding
Mr Hagyard, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has been convicted of a criminal offence which is such that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
Order
To make an order pursuant to section 43 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Hagyard of this decision:
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA’s permission.
Mr Hagyard was also ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £600 in investigating this matter.