Prosecutor: Serious harm to profession’s reputation
A Crown prosecutor who was jailed for assaulting and ill-treating a child has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).
Anthony Nowogrodzki was convicted in July 2024 at Bristol Crown Court of the two offences and received concurrent sentences of 14 months’ imprisonment for child cruelty and three months for assault by beating.
The SDT heard that Mr Nowogrodzki, who qualified in 1991, initially pleaded not guilty, only to change his plea after the victim attended court for cross-examination.
The tribunal found that he had failed to uphold public trust and showed a lack of integrity.
“The conduct had caused significant harm to the reputation of the profession,” it said. “As detailed, Mr Nowogrodzki had committed serious criminal misconduct at a time when he was responsible for prosecuting such misconduct.
“The criminal conviction included violence towards a vulnerable person on more than one occasion.” In mitigation, Mr Nowogrodzki had self-reported matters to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and had co-operated with the investigation – although he did not attend the hearing, which proceeded in his absence.
The SDT concluded: “The seriousness of the misconduct was such that the protection of the public and the reputation of the profession required that Mr Nowogrodzki be struck off the roll.”
The SRA sought costs of £8,600, which Mr Nowogrodzki had contested as excessive, in correspondence ahead of the hearing.
The SDT considered the sum reasonable and proportionate but said Mr Nowogrodzki was impecunious.
“The tribunal was not satisfied that there was any reasonable prospect that Mr Nowogrodzki’s financial circumstances would improve such that he would be able to meet any costs order.
“Accordingly, notwithstanding the reasonableness of the costs claimed, the tribunal determined that there should be no order as to costs.”
According to local newspaper coverage, Mr Nowogrodzki joined the CPS as a senior Crown prosecutor in 2023 after more than 30 years as a criminal defence solicitor.
