Paul Baxendale-Walker, the solicitor charged with a £2m pension fraud by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), has had his fraud case stayed as an abuse of process

Last week, The Lawyer revealed that Baxendale-Walker is standing for the Westminster seat on the Law Society's ruling council.
Baxendale-Walker, who was accused along with Dutch businessman Bjørn Stiedl of conspiring to defraud the Balfron Pension Scheme, said that the stay means he has been cleared of all charges against him.
The precise meaning of Judge Wadsworth's judgment of 27 June, staying the proceedings against Baxendale-Walker, is unclear and the SFO has obtained a court order preventing the publication of the judgment.
The SFO will not confirm whether the stay of proceedings means that Baxendale-Walker has been cleared.
Irwin Mitchell partner Kevin Robinson, acting for Baxendale-Walker, said: “The proceedings are at an end and there is no appeal against this ruling. Mr Baxendale-Walker will not be standing trial in September, or at any other time.”