Judge who conducted court case on phone while driving ticked off for bad behaviour

A JUDGE who conducted a court case over the phone while driving his car was one of 53 ticked off last year for bad behaviour.

Other judges, magistrates and employment panel members were in the disciplinary dock for speeding, rudeness and misusing their status.

In total 1,236 reports of misbehaviour were made against them in 2020/21 - with 53 upheld.

An annual report reveals they were blasted for breaking judicial conduct rules including using explicit language and posting social media rants..

Deputy district judge Christopher McMurtrie used the hands-free function on his mobile phone to dial-in to court proceedings he was overseeing.

He was hit with a formal misconduct warning after promising not to do it again.

One of Britain’s most senior judges received a rebuke for making politically-charged comments during a court hearing.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring, who sits on high-profile cases at Westminster magistrates court, was issued with formal advice.

Judge Goldspring oversaw the sentencing hearing of two men who accosted chief medical officer Chris Whitty during the pandemic.

Among others ticked off by the watchdog Judicial Conduct Investigations Office was a magistrate caught speeding for the third time.

Maryam Cleary, who sits in Country Durham, was reprimanded after not disclosing her nine penalty points to her superiors.

In September JP Mark Philpotts was issued with formal advice over his “intemperate behaviour” and “improper language”.

Meanwhile, employment tribunal member Ann Brown was issued with formal advice after being seen nodding off during a hearing.

The watchdog said she “failed to carry out her judicial duties with diligence as she failed to remain awake or gave the appearance that she was asleep during a hearing.”

“In reaching their decision, they took into account that the judge had a 25-year sitting history with no previous misconduct.”

Of 1,236 complaints, just 53 were upheld. 481 were dismissed and 576 were deemed not worthy of investigation by the JCIO.

Complaints included inappropriate behaviour, motoring offences and misuse of judicial status.

Most investigations stemmed from magistrates not meeting minimum sitting requirements.

The total number of complaints was down on the previous year which had 1,292.

The number of judges and magistrates reprimanded had risen from 42 from 53.

A spokesman for the JCIO said: “Although the number of sanctions increased, it is still broadly in line with previous years. With around 21,000 judicial office-holders in post, misconduct remains rare.”