A former City associate convicted last year under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is to face the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. In a decision notice published yesterday, the Solicitors Regulation Authority said that Matthew Howells, admitted in 2018, had been referred to the tribunal.
The notice states that, between 31 March 2022 and 8 July 2022, Howells ’pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the stalking of Person A and which he knew or ought to have known amounted to the harassment of her in that he repeatedly made contact and sent her unsolicited items contrary to section 2A(1) and (4) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997’.
At the time, Howells was employed by City firm Cooley (UK) LLP.
The allegations are subject to a hearing before the tribunal and are as yet unproven.
In March last year Howells received a 12-month community order after pleading guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to charges of stalking an ex-girlfriend by contacting her under false identities online.
