Rugby tackle lawyer sent to face tribunal

London solicitor Allen Chubb, who hit the headlines in March this year when he was convicted of assaulting a woman at his Belgravia offices, is to face a hearing by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

The Solicitors Complaints Bureau is referring the case to the tribunal, whose powers range from a reprimand to striking someone off the Roll.

Chubb was ordered to pay Laura Harold £1,000 compensation after a court heard he was involved in a "Wild West" melee in which he rugby-tackled Harold, the wife of a wealthy property developer.

Chubb, senior partner at Child & Child, denied using excessive force to evict Harold from his offices after a dispute arose when he refused to hand over deeds of Harold's home before an outstanding bill was settled.

Chubb claims he was entitled to use reasonable force to remove Harold from his premises after she refused to leave. During the trial, he alleged that Harold had run at him like a prop forward.

Chubb said of the forthcoming tribunal hearing: "I hope they will decide there is no need to take further action and that the hearing will be before the end of this year."

Chubb's solicitor, Colin Nott of Hallinan Blackburn Gittings & Nott, said that any attempt by the tribunal to strike off Chubb would be "vigorously resisted".