A London solicitor convicted of child pornography offences has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).

James-Guy Jacobs, of Pinner, Middlesex, was convicted of 10 counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of a child, five counts of taking indecent photographs and one count of possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child.

He was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court in November 2012 to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

Last week the SDT found he had failed to uphold the rule of law, acted without integrity and acted in a way which was likely to diminish the trust the public has in the profession.

The tribunal noted that Jacobs had committed serious sexual offences involving children and that although he now showed remorse, he had been oblivious to the effect of his behaviour on the children who were the subject of the photographs.

He told the tribunal he had been under a great deal of stress and it was an error of otherwise good judgement.

Jacobs was ordered to be struck off and to pay costs of £1,500.

The SRA's head of legal and enforcement Jennifer Johnson said: 'Any solicitor convicted of sexual offences involving children can expect to be dealt with severely. The public needs to be able to trust solicitors and all those who provide legal services.'

Jacobs has 21 days from the publication of the judgment by the SDT to appeal.

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