Timothy Eagle had been out for lunch with others from Hansells Solicitors when he returned to the company's office in Tombland, Norwich, for further celebrations.

Timothy Eagle, a former senior partner at Hansells Solicitors in Norwich, has been suspended for making sexual comments to multiple women at the firm's Christmas party (Image: Supplied)

There, he told one woman: "If I was 20 years younger, I would like to f*** you right now", while placing his hand on her waist.

He kissed another woman on the shoulder and when told to stop he replied: "I don’t believe you, every woman likes being kissed".

He said to a third female colleague that her dress was "easy access", gesturing towards her thighs. And he told a fourth woman he wanted to "f**k" a fifth colleague.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has suspended Mr Eagle from practice for 12 months and ordered him to pay £30,000 costs.

Hansells Solicitors is based at Cambridge House, in Tombland, Norwich (Image: Google Maps)

The tribunal said he failed to take full responsibility for his behaviour at the Christmas party in December 2022 and that his attempt to argue his actions were involuntary and influenced by alcohol was unsuccessful.

The scandal is the third time in recent years that a senior Hansells solicitor has been sanctioned by regulators.

On December 23, 2022, Hansells closed its Tombland office at lunchtime for staff to attend a Christmas lunch at a venue in Norwich.

Afterwards, at around 5pm, Mr Eagle, who qualified as a solicitor in 1983, returned to the building to continue the celebrations with colleagues.

Staff said he appeared intoxicated and some suggested he go home, but he declined.

Person A, a young woman, went into the kitchen where Mr Eagle stood in front of the fridge, blocking her access.

She asked him to move, to which he responded, “you are just so sexy… if I was 20 years younger I would like to f*** you right now”, placing his hand on her waist.

Later, Person B, who was wearing a dress which exposed her shoulders, entered the kitchen. Mr Eagle said: “Your shoulders look lovely, I’d love to kiss them.”

She rebuffed his advance, but he kissed her on her right shoulder anyway.

She demanded he stop, to which he said, “I don’t believe you, every woman likes being kissed”, before later calling her “a bitch”.

He told a third woman, while gesturing towards her thighs, “that dress is easy access”, and said to a fourth, “we’ve got a bunch of really lovely colleagues here and I’d really love to f*** [Person E]".

Eventually, a colleague called Mr Eagle's partner, who came to collect him.

Mr Eagle apologised to all four women - who were all junior to him - for his behaviour in the days following the party, saying he "overstepped the mark" and claiming that he could not recall the incidents.

Hansells' main solicitors’ office is based at Cambridge House, in Tombland, Norwich (Image: Supplied)

In January 2023, the month after the party, Mr Eagle reported himself to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which initiated proceedings him which ultimately led to last month's tribunal.

The hearing - which was held remotely - found he was "an experienced drinker” who had been advised to reduce his drinking in order to preserve his liver health – but did not do so on this occasion.

“It was or should have been obvious to him that too much alcohol might adversely affect his self-control and behaviour," the ruling said.

It went on: "The tribunal found that Mr Eagle’s motivation for his misconduct was sexual motivation which was an aggravating feature of it.

"His behaviour arose from actions which were not premeditated. Mr Eagle nevertheless had direct control and responsibility for the circumstances giving rise to his misconduct."

In December 2020, Mr Eagle was diagnosed with cancer and underwent major surgery to remove part of his liver the following year.

Tribunal documents said he had further serious health complications in 2021 and 2022, before beginning a phased return to work on a part-time basis in August that year.

He returned to full-time work at Hansells in November, the month before the Christmas party, working in the office four days a week.

The tribunal suspended Mr Eagle from practice as a solicitor for one year.

It means, despite retiring from the firm, he is prohibited from practising law and cannot handle client matters, represent clients, or work in a regulated firm.

He told the hearing that although he did not intend to practise as a solicitor again he was working as a notary - someone who is authorised to perform certain roles in legal affairs.

INTERNAL DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

After the party, partners at Hansells commenced an internal investigation and in January 2023, Mr Eagle was suspended from work.

The firm brought internal disciplinary proceedings against him, but he retired in April 2023, before the process could be concluded.

Kathryn Hirst, managing partner at Hansells, said the firm "acted with speed and complete professionalism when facts and details were brought to our attention shortly after the event".

"Mr Eagle was asked to refrain from attending our offices or doing any legal work and was subsequently suspended," she said in a statement.

"As stated in the judgement, Mr Eagle ceased to be a partner of the firm with effect from April 2023.

"Hansells is committed to our people, to the highest professional standards, and to being a great place to work.

"The firm is in a very positive position, and is focused on investing in our people, delivering high-quality legal services and supporting our local community."

The firm - which traces its routes back to 1827 - has now been embroiled in three major scandals in recent years.

In 2024, Hansells was fined more than £120,000 by the SRA after a blunder saw it pay incorrect amounts to estate beneficiaries and not rectify the mistake for eight years.

Some of the beneficiaries were elderly and died before they could be properly paid.

The SRA said Hansells had "failed to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession" and that its "conduct continued even after it was known to be improper".

Roger Holden, Hansells' chairman and a former president of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society, who acted as administrator of the estate, was also fined by the regulator for his involvement.

The SRA issued him with a personal fine of £3,223, which it said represented 32pc of his gross annual income, saying he had “failed to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession”.

Roger Holden, Hansells chairman and former president of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society (Image: Antony Kelly)

It said there had been a conflict of interest in relation to his handling of the estate.

The previous year, in 2023, Hugh Lansdell, a former senior partner at the firm, was jailed for stealing almost £2 million from clients' accounts to chase winnings he was duped into believing he had won as part of a Spanish lottery.

Hugh Lansdell, pictured in 2014 (Image: Newsquest)

Between 2015 and 2017, he took £1.5 million from his clients and £350,000 from two charities where he was a trustee after being convinced he had won the lottery and needed the money to secure his winnings.

Norwich Crown Court heard how the devout Christian believed "God had answered his prayers" after he received a letter about an £825,000 lottery win, which he wanted to donate to renovate his local church and establish a hostel in Norwich.

He was suspended from Hansells and struck off as a solicitor in 2019.

Hansells' main solicitors’ office is based at Cambridge House, in Tombland, Norwich.

It also has offices in Aylsham, Cromer and North Walsham.

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