Rafikul Ashrafi also convicted of voyeurism
A former Magic Circle employee has been barred from working in the legal profession following convictions for voyeurism and making indecent photographs of a child.
Rafikul Ashrafi, a former eBilling administrator with Freshfields, was found in possession of 109 videos and 17 photographs after a police investigation, according to a decision notice published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
The police investigation covered the period between 21 November 2018 and 23 June 2019. He was employed by the firm from 19 December 2019.
On 19 May 2021, Ashrafi plead guilty to one count of voyeurism and two counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child.
Ashrafi was handed a three-year community order and ordered to undertake 150 hours of compulsory unpaid work. He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for five years and was made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.
The firm became aware of his conviction the following day and terminated his employment with immediate effect and reported the matter to the SRA.
The SRA said: “[Ashrafi] has been convicted of serious criminal offences following repeated behaviour towards vulnerable minors over a significant period of time. Although he did this prior to working at the firm, it is undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice. Being convicted of such serious criminal offences is likely to damage public confidence in the safe delivery of legal services.”
Ashrafi was handed a section 43 order, meaning that he can’t work for any firm of solicitors without the regulator’s say-so.