Vaughn Hill, a 46-year-old lawyer and former co-director of a Far North law firm, has been permanently banned from practicing law after being caught sharing explicit images of children online.
The decision, unchallenged by Hill, was made during a brief seven-minute hearing by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal on Tuesday.
Hill’s downfall began in September 2023 when Customs seized electronic devices from his home, leading to his arrest and the discovery of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of bestiality, rape, and torture, which he had distributed online.
Following a referral from the U.S.-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Hill was charged with eight counts of possession, export, and distribution of objectionable material, resulting in a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence in 2024.
Hill, currently in prison, accepted the charges and his unfitness to practice, prompting the tribunal to strike his name from the Roll of Barristers and Solicitors.
Tip of the iceberg
Sacrificial lamb?
Everything else is above board and transparent
I assume the photo of him was taken some time ago just after he received his back account statment and not after the conviction.