A SENIOR solicitor has been rebuked by a watchdog after being convicted of drink driving.

Philip Roberts, who is head of the commercial property department at Ellisons Solicitors based in Head Street, Colchester, was handed a 20 month driving ban in August after being convicted of driving with excess alcohol.

He had been stopped by police driving a Kia Stonic shortly after midnight on July 14 in the Causeway, West Mersea where he was more than double the legal limit.

Mr Roberts had 71 mcgs per 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He was handed a fine of £650 and ordered to pay other court charges of £150.

Mr Roberts reduced his ban by 20 weeks by attending a drink driving rehabilitation course in November.

After receiving the ban, the Solicitors Regulation Authority launched an investigation into his conduct.

Mr Roberts, 38, admitted that by virtue of his conduct and conviction he failed to behave in a way which maintains the trust the public places in him and in the provision of his legal services.

The SRA ruled that he is rebuked and must pay £300 towards the costs of their investigation.

In a statement published on their website, the SRA concluded the outcome was appropriate because his conduct was deliberate or reckless, the outcome is proportionate in the public interest and his conduct was neither trivial nor justifiably inadvertent.

They also ruled it was appropriate for it to be published in the interests of transparency in the regulatory and disciplinary process.

Mr Roberts has accepted he will not act in a way inconsistent with the agreement made by, for example, denying his admissions and if he does he may be subject to further hearings into his conduct.

That could lead to a disciplinary hearing.

Mr Roberts joined Ellisons in 2004 and qualified as a solicitor two years later when he was appointed to the the firm’s commercial property department.

He was made a partner in 2012.