A SOLICITOR has been fined £10,000 after he failed to properly administer client and his company accounts.

Mohamed Patel resigned from Chorley Old Road based solicitors Allanson, where he had been a partner, in November 2017.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled that he had breached rules by using a client account to administer debt management plan payments, allowing improper payments out of a client account, allowing £600,000 in payments to the firm to be held in a client account and other breaches.

"Some of the misconduct continued for a period of at least six years, during which time Mr Patel ought reasonably to have been aware of his regulatory obligations," stated the tribunal report.

But the tribunal said it accepted that Patel had acted carelessly rather than dishonestly and clients were not affected.

"The whole episode has taught him a salutory lesson," it said.

Patel has been allowed to continue practising as a solicitor but he was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £7,500 in costs.