Offence occurred in 2016
A trainee solicitor convicted of stalking has been barred from the legal profession.
Aqeeb Khan received an 18 month suspended prison sentence for conduct over two weeks in early 2016 that included “making a verbal threat over the telephone” and “following his victim in a vehicle”, according to a notice published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Khan was tried and convicted by Shropshire Magistrates Court of stalking causing his victim serious alarm or distress, which had an adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Khan’s conviction predates his time as a trainee solicitor at Birmingham-based criminal law specialist Maurice Andrews Solicitors.
As well as the suspended sentence, the rookie solicitor was ordered to participate in rehabilitation activity up to 20 days within the supervision period of 12 months; handed a restraining order prohibiting him from approaching, contacting or attempting to contact the victim in any way whatsoever until 11 January 2020; and pay a fine of £150, a victim surcharge of £115 and Crown Prosecution Service costs of £750.
Shrewsbury Crown Court dismissed his appeal in February 2018.
The SRA made Khan subject to a section 43 order, which prevents him from working in a law firm without its prior permission. In doing so, the regulator said Khan had been convicted of a criminal offence which made it “undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice”. He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs.
