Court rejects rapist’s claim of coercion by disgraced solicitor, upholds original guilty plea
A man convicted of rape has failed in his bid to overturn his conviction after the Court of Appeal ruled that his former solicitor’s later misconduct was irrelevant to the criminal proceedings.
Craig Lea, who was sentenced to over five years in prison, argued that he only pleaded guilty after coming under undue pressure from his solicitor, who at the time was facing disciplinary proceedings. That solicitor, Christopher Michael Haddock, was later struck off for dishonest dealings with client funds.
The appeal judges, however, saw no link between Haddock’s misconduct and Lea’s change of plea. The court concluded that the decision to plead guilty was a calculated response to overwhelming evidence—not the result of coercion.
Lea changed his plea on the morning his trial was due to begin at Warwick Crown Court in September 2022. Just three months later, he applied to withdraw it, claiming his then solicitor-advocate, Mr Haddock, had pressured him into admitting guilt.
Presiding over the application, His Honour Judge Peter Cooke acknowledged that Haddock had demonstrated an “unconventional approach” to client care and failed to follow best practice. Crucially, Haddock made no written note or official endorsement of Lea’s change of plea. Still, the judge found that this alone did not prove coercion.
Judge Cooke determined that Lea—described as an articulate and intelligent businessman—was fully capable of understanding the gravity of the evidence, including a crucial recording involving the victim. The judge believed Lea’s decision to plead guilty stemmed from the strength of the case against him, rather than improper pressure.
Embed from Getty ImagesFurther strengthening the court’s view, Lea’s mother, who was described as a truthful witness, confirmed the circumstances under which her son made the decision to plead guilty. She provided insight that supported the court’s belief in Lea’s awareness and agency in the matter.
Lea’s argument leaned heavily on the later revelation that Mr Haddock had been under investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority during the rape trial. In July 2023, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found Haddock guilty of dishonestly obtaining £25,000 from a client, which he used to support his Halifax-based firm. He attempted to disguise the transaction as fees paid on account.
However, Mrs Justice Thornton, delivering the Court of Appeal’s decision, agreed with a previous single judge’s assessment that Haddock’s misconduct was irrelevant to the rape conviction.
“The misconduct of Mr Haddock is not relevant to the criminal proceedings,” she said. “The core issue remains consent, and the plea change was a rational response to the prosecution’s case.”
She also rejected the claim that Haddock had improperly pressured his client into pleading guilty. The appeal judges noted that despite Haddock’s lack of professionalism in documenting the plea decision, there was no credible evidence of coercion.
Thornton J said, “The applicant was not overborne by his advocate. The change of plea was a pragmatic concession to the reality of the evidence.”
Lea’s claim that the Court failed to apply the appropriate legal test was also dismissed. Judge Cooke had “considered the evidence with patent care,” the Court ruled, and was right to reject the application to vacate the plea.
In closing, Thornton J affirmed, “We agree with the judge that the decision to change plea was consistent with a pragmatic decision by the applicant to accept the reality of the evidence against him.”
Lea will continue serving his 62-month sentence. The court made clear that the solicitor’s misconduct, while concerning, did not taint the conviction for rape
