A former solicitor whose business went bust will be tied to a bankruptcy restriction for nine more years due to the seriousness of his actions.

John Richard Killington, 63, from Brighton, signed a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking over his conduct while he was a solicitor at his now closed firm, Brown & Emery, in Watford.

A Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking extends restrictions placed upon a person if they are bankrupt.

Killington cannot borrow more than £500 without disclosing his bankrupt status or act as a company director without the court’s permission.

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He was investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority following complaints, who found Killington made unsecured loans of more than £370,000 to clients of his firm.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority accused Killington at a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing of abusing his position of trust when he used funds from another client to make these loans.

The allegations were upheld, and Killington was struck off as a solicitor at the hearing in April 2017.

He also owed almost £150,000 in costs associated with his investigation.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority petitioned for his bankruptcy when he was unable to pay, and a Bankruptcy Order was granted in August 2018 by the County Court at Brighton.

Bankruptcy restrictions are usually lifted after a year, but the Official Receiver pursued extended restrictions.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted a nine-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking from Killington on April 25th 2019.

Liesl Cook, Official Receiver for the Insolvency Service, said: "John Killington abused the trust placed in him by a client who had every right to expect he would faithfully carry out his duties as their solicitor.

"He has now paid a heavy price for his misconduct as, in addition to John Killington not being able practice law, severe bankruptcy restrictions have been placed on him thanks to the collaboration between the SRA and the Insolvency Service."