A solicitor who misled clients during property deals has been fined £20,000.

Richard Carr, 49, broke strict legal rules when he failed to carry out full land registry checks on property purchases on new estates, a solicitors' disciplinary tribunal was told.

Carr's methods were uncovered during a Law Society inspection in August 2000 when an investigator noticed that sums of money identical to search fees were being paid to Carr's wife.

Andrew Miller, for the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, said Carr operated from offices in Crouch Street, Banbury.

Mr Miller told the tribunal that Carr acted for clients buying homes on a number of new housing estates.

He said that for the first buyer on a development, Carr would comply with the rules and obtain a local authority search, but for subsequent buyers in the same development, Carr would not obtain a new search.

It was claimed that Carr did not tell clients that fees paid for searches went to his wife, and that he therefore had taken the money without authorisation.

The tribunal heard that £17,000 was taken without clients' permission.

Carr, of Yellowell House, Horley, denied the allegations.

He told the hearing that he had carried out all the searches appropriate to particular properties.

Carr was found guilty of withdrawing clients' money other than in accordance with the rules, misleading buyers as to the steps being taken or omitted by him on their behalf, and acting in a conflict of interest situation.

He was cleared of misleading mortgage lenders and the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, and was found not guilty of dishonesty.

Carr was ordered to pay £3,995 costs.