Author: Dom Watts

On the 5th July 2024, former barrister Shabana Mahmood was named as Lord Chancellor and secretary of state for justice in the new Labour government. Shabana Mahmood was sworn in as lord chancellor at the Royal Courts of Justice on the 15th July 2024 ahead of the opening of parliament on 17 July 2024.

Attorney General Richard Hermer KC and Solicitor General Sarah Sackman were also sworn in at the same time.

Today, @ShabanaMahmood was sworn-in as Lord Chancellor at the Royal Courts of Justice.

She made her oath in the presence of the Lady Chief Justice and other senior judges, Attorney General, Solicitor General and leading members of the legal professions. pic.twitter.com/8QCMfxqk7o

— Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK) July 15, 2024

As the Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood MP, heads the Ministry of Justice.

Shabana Mahmood was appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on 5 July 2024. They were elected as the MP for Birmingham Ladywood in July 2024.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Bio gov.uk

You may also be interested in our article on the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls.

What is the role of the Lord Chancellor ?

The Lord Chancellor is one of the most ancient offices of state, dating back many centuries.

The Lord Chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking even the prime minister.

The Lord Chancellor is responsible for the administration of the courts, prison system, legal aid, and probation services in England and Wales

The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister and is a senior member of the Cabinet. They head the Ministry of Justice as the Secretary of State for Justice.

You may also be interested in our article about the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 which explains the transfer of some powers from the Lord Chancellor to the Lord Chief Justice.

Oath of the Lord Chancellor

The Lord Chancellor takes a sincere and solemn Oath from Part 2 Section 17 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005

“I,     , do swear that in the office of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain I will respect the rule of law, defend the independence of the judiciary and discharge my duty to ensure the provision of resources for the efficient and effective support of the courts for which I am responsible. So help me God.”

Oath of the Lord Chancellor Part 2 Section 17 Constitutional Reform Act 2005

What is the role of the Secretary of State for Justice ?

According to the gov.uk webpage for the Secretary of State for Justice, it lists the ministerial roles as follows :-

Responsibilities

1. Oversight of all portfolios and Ministry of Justice strategy
2. Oversight of departmental COVID-19 response supported by other ministers according to portfolio
3. Oversight of international business and future relations with the EU
4. MoJ support for the Union
5. Resourcing of the department
6. Functions of the Lord Chancellor
7. Judicial policy including pay, pensions and diversity (these and other operational decisions affecting the judiciary are reserved to the Lord Chancellor)
8. Corporate services

Previous Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

1. The Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC 2023 to 2024
2. The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP 2022 to 2023
3. The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP 2022 to 2022
4. The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP 2021 to 2022
5. The Rt Hon Robert Buckland KC MP 2019 to 2021
6. The Rt Hon David Gauke 2018 to 2019
7. The Rt Hon David Lidington CBE 2017 to 2018
8. The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP 2016 to 2017
9. The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP 2015 to 2016
10. The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP 2012 to 2015
11. The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke KC 2010 to 2012

Photo Credit : Shabana Mahmood

The Ministry of Injustice is not the Ministry of Justice nor is it affiliated in any way with the justice system, legal profession or any law enforcement agencies.

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You should always seek formal legal advice from a qualified and reputable lawyer (solicitor or barrister).

‘Justice delayed is justice denied’

 William Ewart Gladstone

There are a number of links to Free and Paid For Legal Resources and Legal Organisations on the Free Legal Advice , Legal Aid and Pro Bono pages.

The Attorney General is a senior legal officer in the United Kingdom who is responsible for representing the Crown and the government in legal matters.

Role of the Attorney General

The Attorney General is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, and is usually a member of the government.

The role of the Attorney General is multifaceted and includes the following main responsibilities:

• Overall responsibility for the work of the Attorney General’s Office and superintended Departments (the Government Legal Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate)
• Specific statutory duty to superintend the discharge of duties by the Director of Public Prosecutions (who heads the Crown Prosecution Service) and the Director of the Serious Fraud Office
• Non-statutory general oversight of the Services Prosecuting Authority and government prosecuting departments
• Government’s principal legal adviser dealing with (amongst others) questions of international law, human rights, devolution and COVID-19 issues
• Public interest functions, for example, reference of unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal, bringing proceedings for contempt of court and intervention in certain proceedings to protect charities
• Questions of law arising on Bills and with issues of legal policy
• Legal aspects of all major international and domestic litigation involving the Government, (including matters related to future relations with the EU)

The Attorney General also holds the separate office of Advocate General for Northern Ireland. The Advocate General for Scotland has specific responsibility for Scottish law matters.

Ministerial Role – Attorney General

The current Attorney General of the United Kingdom is Richard Hermer who was appointed on the 5th July 2024.

Richard Hermer was appointed Attorney General on 5 July 2024.

Ministerial Role – Attorney General

Attorney General Office

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) provides legal advice and support to the Attorney General and the Solicitor General (the Law Officers) who give legal advice to government. The AGO helps the Law Officers perform other duties in the public interest, such as looking at sentences which may be too low.

AGO is a ministerial department, supported by 4 agencies and public bodies.

History of the Attorney General

The role of the Attorney General in the United Kingdom can be traced back to the medieval period, when the King’s legal advisor was known as the “King’s Serjeant”. Over time, this role evolved into that of the Attorney General, who was responsible for representing the Crown in legal matters and advising the government on legal issues.

The first recorded holder of the title of Attorney General was William de Boneville, who was appointed by King Edward I in 1278. However, it was not until the 16th century that the role of the Attorney General became more clearly defined and institutionalized.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century, the Attorney General became an important figure in the administration of justice and the government. The Attorney General was responsible for prosecuting criminal cases, advising the monarch and the government on legal matters, and representing the Crown in court.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the role of the Attorney General continued to evolve, with a growing focus on providing legal advice to the government and upholding the rule of law. Today, the Attorney General remains an important legal officer in the United Kingdom, with a wide range of responsibilities and duties related to representing the Crown and the government in legal matters.

Attorney General Salary

The Attorney General is entitled to a salary of £100,819 but claims £94,450 according to Salaries of members of His Majesty’s Government: April 2022

This is addition to the basic annual salary for an MP from 1 April 2022 which is £84,144 according to Pay and expenses for MPs.

Ask the Attorney General’s Office to Review a Crown Court Sentence

Ask for a Crown Court sentence to be reviewed. Anyone can ask for a sentence to be reviewed – you do not have to be involved in the case. The Attorney General’s Office can review very low sentences given by the Crown Court in England and Wales if they’re asked to.

Check out our articles on  R v Sussex Justices, Rule of Law, Lady Chief Justice, Solicitor General, Government Legal Department, Policing by Consent and the highly questionable Sussex Family Justice Board.

The Ministry of Injustice is not the Ministry of Justice nor is it affiliated in any way with the justice system, legal profession or any law enforcement agencies.

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You should always seek formal legal advice from a qualified and reputable lawyer (solicitor or barrister).

‘Justice delayed is justice denied’

 William Ewart Gladstone

There are a number of links to Free and Paid For Legal Resources and Legal Organisations on the Free Legal Advice , Legal Aid and Pro Bono pages.

The title Chief Magistrate holds historical and contemporary significance in various legal and governmental systems across the world.

The Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate) of England and Wales, as they are known, has a leadership responsibility for the 300-or-so District Judges (Magistrates’ Court) (DJMCs), and Deputy DJMCs across England and Wales.

The Chief Magistrate has no authority over lay magistrates, or over the several hundreds of district judges who sit in the county courts of England and Wales.

The current Chief Magistrate of England and Wales is Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring.

The current Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales is Senior Deputy District Judge Tanweer Ikram CBE.

The position of Chief Magistrate, often laden with authority and responsibility, embodies the essence of governance, justice, and leadership within a jurisdiction.

The Chief Magistrate is responsible for:

• hearing many of the most sensitive or complex cases in the magistrates’ courts and in particular extradition and special jurisdiction cases.
• supporting and guiding district judge (magistrates’ court) colleagues.
• liaising with the senior judiciary and Presiding Judges on matters relating to magistrates’ courts and district judges (magistrates’ courts).

The Chief Magistrate’s Office is also responsible for arranging sittings of Deputy DJMCs across England and Wales, and managing the hearings of disciplinary adjudications in prisons. Where a disciplinary offence by a prisoner merits additional days of imprisonment, full-time district judges are deployed to prisons to hear the cases. Requests come from prisons throughout the country – a list of cases is then built up, and when a sufficient number of cases has been generated, a judge attends the prison to hear them.

Chief Magistrate Courts and Tribunal Judiciary

Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales Controvesy

Three women convicted of terror offence for ‘celebrating’ Hamas attack on Israel by displaying images of paragliders at pro-Palestinian march were spared jail as the Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales, Senior Deputy District Judge Tanweer Ikram CBE says he ‘decided not to punish’ them after ’emotions ran very high’.

For this offence, Section 13(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows for :-

(a)imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months,
(b)a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or
(c)both.

Why did the Deputy Chief Magistrate “let them off” so lightly ?

On the 11th June 2024 Deputy Senior District Judge Tanweer Ikram CBE was issued with a formal warning for misconduct by the JCIO.

The Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales inadvertent ‘liking’ of a post had resulted in a perception of bias. The Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice were not satisfied that a sanction of formal advice was sufficient in this case as he had caused “significant reputational damage to the judiciary”.

This is Tanweer Ikram, the “impartial” judge who decided not to punish 3 women who were convicted of terrorism offences for displaying images of paragliders, celebrating the Hamas tactics.

He needs to be investigated since this is a conflict of interest.

HT: @BarbaraRich_law pic.twitter.com/Ja9Idv53og

— Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) February 14, 2024

A row has broken out after a judge who decided to let three women wearing parachute images at a pro-Palestine march walk free admitted to liking a social media post branding Israel a ‘terrorist’.

Tanweer Ikram is facing calls to be investigated for a conflict of interest after he liked a LinkedIn post calling for a ‘free Palestine ‘ by a barrister who had previously promoted conspiracy theories claiming that Israel allowed the October 7 attack.

The senior district judge admitted to liking the post ‘by mistake’ three weeks ago, but was told by the Judicial Office that the matter would not be investigated further.

Daily Mail – Senior Deputy District Judge Tanweer Ikram

History of the Chief Magistrate

From ancient times to modern democracies, the chief magistrate has played a pivotal role in upholding the rule of law, ensuring the administration of justice, and maintaining social order.

Historically, the term “magistrate” finds its roots in ancient Rome, where magistrates held considerable power in the Roman Republic.

They were responsible for the administration of justice, overseeing public ceremonies, and enforcing laws. The chief magistrate, known as the “consul,” was the highest-ranking official elected to lead the republic for a term of one year. Their authority was balanced by the Senate and other governmental bodies, reflecting a system of checks and balances.

When the first Chief Magistrate began sitting at Bow Street in 1735, the title wasn’t confusing at all – at the time, magistrates in London were paid judicial office-holders, and magistrates’ courts in London were presided over by Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrates.  All magistrates – paid and unpaid – are Justices of the Peace. Nowadays the word magistrate is more commonly used for the unpaid judicial office holders, also commonly known as JPs.

Early holders of the post also had responsibility for the Bow Street Runners, until they were replaced by the Metropolitan Police in the 19th century.

Chief Magistrate’s Office

The Chief Magistrate’s Office provides administrative support both to the Chief Magistrate and to district judges sitting at all the magistrates’ courts in England and Wales.

The Chief Magistrate’s Office is based at:

181 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5BR

DX 120551, Marylebone 9

Email addresses:

Chief Magistrates’ Office enquiries mailbox: CMO.Enquiries@Justice.gov.uk

Judicial Deployment mailbox: gl-cmo.ddjdeployment@Justice.gov.uk

Independent Adjudication mailbox : gl-ind.adjudication@Justice.gov.uk

Chief Magistrate’s Office

Contact	Position
Paul Goldspring	Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate)
Tanweer Ikram CBE	Deputy Senior District Judge (Deputy Chief Magistrate)
Stephen Smith	PA and Business Support to the Senior District (Chief Magistrate) and Deputy Senior District (Chief Magistrate)
Claire-Louise Manning	Legal Adviser and Researcher for the Chief Magistrate
Rahat Siddiqi	Delivery Manager
Khalilur Rahman	Admin officer – Deployment Section
Jabir Ahmed	Admin officer – Deployment Section
Karen Jennings	Team Leader – Prison Section
Karolina Zukauskaite	Admin officer – Prison Section
Gold Fax	01264 887 396

The Ministry of Injustice is not the Ministry of Justice nor is it affiliated in any way with the justice system, legal profession or any law enforcement agencies.

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You should always seek formal legal advice from a qualified and reputable lawyer (solicitor or barrister).

‘Justice delayed is justice denied’

 William Ewart Gladstone

There are a number of links to Free and Paid For Legal Resources and Legal Organisations on the Free Legal Advice , Legal Aid and Pro Bono pages.

Here are a few examples of dodgy judges, otherwise known as rogue judges, that have been dismissed, disciplined, resigned or been badly behaved. Some judges even managed to get criminal convictions.

“Publicity is the very soul of justice. . . . It keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial….Where there is no publicity there is no justice”

Jeremy Bentham – Mr Justice Cobb: ‘Justice must be seen to be done’

The three key values which are central to the role of judicial office holders (JOHs) in England and Wales are:
• Independence
• Impartiality
• Integrity

Someone sent a little legal valentines love by post ❤️ Is HHJ Helen Lusty corrupt ? Sussex Family Justice Board ?

In my opinion, these judges are almost as questionable as His Honour Judge Melbourne Inman KC, Mr Justice Williams, Sussex Family Justice Board and the Sussex judges HHJ Farquhar, HHJ Bedford and HHJ Lusty !

1. Judge Constance Briscoe was dismissed from the judiciary in 2014 after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice. She was sentenced to 16 months in prison for lying to the police during an investigation into former cabinet minister Chris Huhne’s speeding points.

Reference: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28675376

2. Judge Peter Smith resigned in 2016 after the JCIO began investigating Smith’s conduct in July 2015 about a matter involving British Airways and his luggage.

Reference : https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/conduct-probe-into-high-court-judge-ends-with-retirement/5063448.article

3. Judge Beatrice Bolton. The Crown Court judge who was convicted of failing to control a dangerous dog will face no further disciplinary action after she handed in her resignation..

Reference : https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/judge-beatrice-bolton-quits-after-1340889

4. Judge Heather Perrin was dismissed from the judiciary in 2012 after being found guilty of professional misconduct for deceiving a client in a property deal.

Reference: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20525832

5.  Deputy Senior District Judge Tanweer Ikram CBE was issued with a formal warning for misconduct by the JCIO.

The Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales inadvertent ‘liking’ of a post had resulted in a perception of bias. The Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice were not satisfied that a sanction of formal advice was sufficient in this case as he had caused “significant reputational damage to the judiciary”.

JCIO Disciplinary Statements 2025/2026

• Mrs Jane Greasley JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 12/25
• District Judge Christopher Falvey – JCIO Investigation Statement 11/25
• Mrs Susanna Craig JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 10/25
• District Judge Christopher Falvey – JCIO Investigation Statement 09/25
• Dr Charles Jumbo JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 08/25
• Non-legal Tribunal Member Mr Mark Harding – JCIO Investigation Statement 07/25
• Mr Anderson Jordan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 06/25
• Mrs Christine Parry JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 05/25
• Mr Andrew York JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 04/25
• Employment Judge Gary Denis Tobin – JCIO Investigation Statement 03/25

JCIO Disciplinary Statements 2024/2025

• Tribunal Judge Jenna McKinney – JCIO Investigation Statement 02/25
• Mr Mark Gray JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 119/24
• Employment Judge Richard Nicolle – JCIO Investigation Statement 118/24
• Reverend Terence Young JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 117/24
• Deputy District Judge James Lewis – JCIO Investigation Statement 116/24
• Deputy District Judge Daniel Dodd – JCIO Investigation Statement 115/24
• Deputy District Judge Emily May Windsor – JCIO Investigation Statement 114/24
• Mr Michael Berry JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 113/24
• Russell Blake JP -JCIO Investigation Statement 112/24
• Mr Graham Curry JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 111/24
• Mr Mohammad Hussain JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 110/24
• Mr Ahmed Azam JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 109/24
• Mrs Justice McGowan DBE – JCIO Investigation Statement 108/24
• Deputy District Judge Toby Hales – JCIO Investigation Statement 107/24
• Mr Adrian Jones JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 105/24
• Mr Martin Dominique JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 104/24
• Mr Richard Giugno JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 103/24
• District Judge Colin Bosman (‘DJ Bosman’) – JCIO Investigation Statement 102/24
• Ms Virginia Claire Jackson JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 101/24
• Mr Abdul Malik JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 100/24
• Employment Judge Liam Varnam (EJ Varnam) – JCIO Investigation Statement 99/24
• Mrs Jane Bailey JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 98/24
• Ms Susan Holcroft JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 97/24
• Miss Panama Jahan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 96/24
• Miss Catherine Burns JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 95/24
• Miss Nina Reinach JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 94/24
• Miss Hilary Whiteway JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 92/24
• Mr Michael Barnes JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 91/24
• Mr Edwin Hastings-Smith JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 90/24
• Ms Justine Dyson JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 89/24
• Mr Kirk Master JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 88/24
• District Judge Alison Griffiths – JCIO Investigation Statement 87/24
• District Judge Franklin Evans – JCIO Investigation Statement 86/24
• District Judge Denise Saunders – JCIO Investigation Statement 85/24
• Dr Andrew Easton – JCIO Investigation Statement 84/24
• Mr Jonathan Dannatt JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 83/24
• Ms Valerie Humphrey JP -JCIO Investigation Statement 82/24
• Mr Daniel Barker JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 81/24
• Mr Joseph Lindo JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 80/24
• Mr Gary Morgan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 79/24
• Mr David Payne JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 78/24
• Nargis Alsadiq JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 77/24
• Tribunal Judge Jonathan Perkins – JCIO Investigation Statement 76/24
• Elizabeth Slamer JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 75/24
• Mr Thomas Rock JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 74/24
• Dr Atul Gandecha JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 73/24
• Employment Judge David Khan – JCIO Investigation Statement 72/24
• Mr Richard Whitehouse – JCIO Investigation Statement 71/24
• District Judge Michael Nicholson – JCIO Investigation Statement 70/24
• District Judge Keeley Bishop – JCIO Investigation Statement 69/24
• Dr Elizabeth Wooffinden – JCIO Investigation Statement 68/24
• Mr Mohammed Najib – JCIO Investigation Statement 67/24
• Miss Fazila Karolia – JCIO Investigation Statement 66/24
• District Judge (Magistrates Court) Stephen Leake – JCIO Investigation Statement 65/24
• Recorder Yvette Genn – JCIO Investigation Statement 64/24
• Recorder Edward Renvoize – JCIO Investigation Statement 63/24
• Mr Phillip Roberts – JCIO Investigation Statement 62/24
• Mr Jeremy Betts JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 61/24
• Tribunal Judge Lynn Griffin – JCIO Investigation Statement 60/24
• Deputy District Judge Sarah Ellis – JCIO Investigation Statement 59/24
• Mr Alistair Borland JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 58/24
• Recorder Simon Bickler – JCIO Statement 57/24
• Mr Keith O’Brien – JCIO Investigation Statement 56/24
• Miss Tessa Smith JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 55/24
• Ms Lynn Killoran JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 54/24
• His Honour Judge Martin Davis – JCIO Investigation Statement 52/24
• Dr Rajay Arora JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 50/24
• Mrs Jean Banford JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 49/24
• Mr Michael Woodhouse JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 48/24
• Dr Simon Ward – JCIO Investigation Statement 47/24
• Senior Coroner Martin Fleming – JCIO Investigation Statement 46/24
• Mrs Jayne Harding JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 45/24
• Mr Manjit Cheema JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 44/24
• Insolvency and Companies Court (ICC) Judge Catherine Burton – JCIO Investigation Statement 43/24
• Assistant Coroner Heath Westerman – JCIO Investigation Statement 42/24
• Mr Justice Marcus Smith – JCIO Investigation Statement 41/24
• Deputy District Judge Dinshaw Printer – JCIO Investigation Statement 40/24
• Mr Timothy Nathan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 38/24
• Mr Jeremy Purkis – JCIO Investigation Statement 37/24
• His Honour Judge Steven Everett – JCIO Investigation Statement 36/24
• Mr Richard Morris JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 35/24
• Deputy District Judge Adrian White – JCIO Investigation Statement 34/24
• Ms Natalia Schiffrin JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 33/24
• Mrs Anne Toomer JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 32/24
• Mr Timothy Vogel JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 31/24
• Mr Charles Peck JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 30/24
• Deputy Senior District Judge Tanweer Ikram – JCIO Investigation Statement 29/24
• Mr Justice Picken – JCIO Investigation Statement 28/24
• Mr Justin Johnson JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 27/24
• Declan Ball JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 26/24
• Recorder Andrew Tidbury – JCIO Investigation Statement 25/24
• Ms Shaistah Zeidan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 24/24
• Mr Andrew Sturgess JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 23/24
• Mrs Ijeoma McDougall JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 22/24
• District Judge Najma Mian – JCIO Investigation Statement 21/24
• Don Wicks JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 20/24
• Mr Nicholas Preston – JCIO Investigation Statement 19/24
• Robert Gonouya JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 18/24
• Mr Justice Francis – JCIO Investigation Statement 17/24

JCIO Disciplinary Statements 2023/2024

• Recorder Simon Myerson – JCIO Investigation Statement 16/24
• Crawford Kingsnorth JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 15/24
• District Judge Stephen Harmes – JCIO Investigation Statement 14/24
• His Honour Judge Nigel Gerald – JCIO Investigation Statement 13/24
• District Judge Melanie Hay – JCIO Investigation Statement 12/24
• His Honour Judge Luba – JCIO Investigation Statement 11/24
• Mr Raymond Wood JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 10/24
• Mr Imtiaz Ahmed JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 09/24
• Mr Karl McLeish JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 08/24
• Mrs Brenda Bruce JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 07/24
• Mr Ben Walker JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 06/24
• Mr Paul Michell – JCIO Investigation Statement 05/24
• Mr Aaron Agboola JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 04/24
• Deputy District Judge Marian Lynch – JCIO Investigation Statement 03/24
• Patrick Weekes JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 02/24
• Mr Justice Edward Murray – JCIO Investigation Statement 01/24
• Mr Kevin McNicholas – JCIO Investigation Statement 41/23
• Laurence Davis JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 40/23
• Sabrina Malik JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 39/23
• Mohammad Usman Khan JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 38/23
• Grant Roberts JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 37/23
• Brian Lawn JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 36/23
• Tribunal Member Dr Malcolm Davies – JCIO Investigation Statement 35/23
• Dr Aaron Borbora JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 34/23
• Stephen Clements JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 33/23
• Mr David Cartwright-Powell – JCIO Investigation Statement 32/23
• Elisabeth Oats JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 31/23
• Lord Justice Clive Lewis – JCIO Investigation Statement 30/23
• Mr Justice Derek Sweeting – JCIO Investigation Statement 29/23
• Dr Christopher Pearson – JCIO Investigation Statement 28/23
• Jennifer Larkin JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 27/23
• Mr Richard Curry JP- JCIO Investigation Statement 25/23
• Judge Martin Brewer – JCIO Investigation Statement 24/23
• Nic Woods JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 23/23
• His Honour Judge Michael Slater – JCIO Investigation Statement 22/23
• Shushil Rai JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 21/23
• Dr John Stevens – JCIO Investigation Statement 20/23
• Jaganmohan Ramachandran JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 19/23
• Deputy District Judge Adam Tear – JCIO Investigation Statement 18/23
• Joanne Varley JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 17/23
• District Judge Sarah Walker – JCIO Investigation Statement 16/23
• Richard Goodwin JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 15/23
• Adrian Tasker JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 14/23
• Dr John Bennett– JCIO Investigation Statement 13/23
• Sasere Obaseki JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 12/23
• Jennifer Denton JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 11/23
• Abigail Buckingham JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 10/23
• Fiona Western JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 09/23
• His Honour Judge Andrew Easteal – JCIO Investigation Statement 08/23
• Mrs Olive Leighton JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 07/23
• Danny Goodchild JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 06/23
• Ken Stammers JP – JCIO Investigation Statement 05/23
• Ansar Hussain JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 04/23
• Jeb Singh JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 03/23
• Yu Tan JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 02/23
• Neale Murphy JP– JCIO Investigation Statement 01/23

JCIO Disciplinary Statements are published by year on the JCIO website

A statement will normally be published when a disciplinary sanction has been issued to a judicial office-holder for misconduct.

The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor may decide jointly to:

• issue a statement in any case;
• decline to issue a statement in any case;
• delete a statement prior to the expiration of the relevant publication period.

Publication Periods

Statements published before 22 August 2022

Statements about cases which resulted in a sanction below removal from office will be deleted after one year. Statements about cases which resulted in removal from office will be deleted after five years.

Statements published from 22 August 2022

The following publication periods apply to statements published from 22 August 2022. Following the outcome of the 2020-22 review of the disciplinary system, statements now contain more detail. The JCIO privacy notice has been updated to reflect this change.

Sanction Imposed	Publication Period
Formal Advice	Two Years
Formal Warning	Four Years
Reprimand	Six Years
Removal from Office (except for failure to meet minimum sitting requirements)	Indefinite
Removal from Office for failure to meet minimum sitting requirements	Five years

Requesting a Copy of a Deleted Statement

A copy of any statement which has been deleted following expiration of its publication period can be requested by emailing: general.enquiries@judicialconduct.gov.uk

Requesters must state the name of the office-holder. It will also help to locate statements if requesters give as much information as possible about the nature of the conduct for which the office-holder received a disciplinary sanction, and the year in which they believe the statement was published.

JCIO aims to reply to all requests for deleted statements within 10 working days.

Disciplinary Statements – JCIO

These example only represent a small fraction of judicial misconduct cases in the UK. These cases demonstrate the importance of judicial ethics and the need for accountability within the justice system.

The importance of maintaining high ethical standards in the UK judiciary cannot be overstated, and the consequences that judges may face if they engage in misconduct.

While it is important to hold judges accountable for their actions, instances of judges being dismissed for misconduct are relatively rare.

It is worth noting that the vast majority of judges in the UK are ethical and diligent in carrying out their duties. When instances of misconduct do occur, they are usually dealt with through disciplinary proceedings or other forms of corrective action.

Complain about a judge to the JCIO ?

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) are an independent office which supports the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice in considering complaints about the personal conduct of judicial office holders.

JCIO Complaint

Here is the complaint I made to the JCIO in November 2020 against DDJ Mills (Deputy District Judge Mills) that was unfortunately dismissed.

a) Was “rude and condescending” and spelt out his name M-I-L-L-S, he:
• “Appeared to have superiority complex by the language used”. He spelt out his name in “an incredibly patronising way”.
• Stated, “I suggest you continue your studies in English Law Mr Watts as you appear to know nothing“.

Amnesia ?

DDJ Mills and Miss Eleanor Harriet Battie of 1 Crown Office Reach (1COR) both appear to have suffered from amnesia. Deputy District Judge Chris Mills continues to sit (fee paid) and inflict himself on the public.

Fortunately for both of them the Court failed in its legal duty to record the hearing. How convenient ! Hearings at the Crown Court and at civil and family courts are always recorded.

“Having searched all the BT Meet Me recordings for the 1st of October it is unfortunate that I have to advise you that there must have been a technical glitch on that day and your hearing was not recorded.“

Brighton County and Family Courts Court Clerk and Court Usher manager

“a particular burden on the court and herself, as an officer of the court, to ensure that everyone involved understood clearly what was being said.”

Eleanor Battie Barrister JCIO

This statement is clearly untrue and misleading

“In the UK, barristers are not officers of the court unlike solicitors”.

It is possible that the JCIO misquoted Miss Battie, but as a barrister Eleanor Battie is bound by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) rules and code of conduct. Ms Battie, I believe, had a duty to immediately apologise for misleading the JCIO and to correct the record. I do not believe that this ever happened.

In my opinion, this is shameful behaviour or legal ignorance by the barrister Eleanor Battie and no doubt in breach of the Bar Standards Handbook 4.8

“Publicity is the very soul of justice. . . . It keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial….Where there is no publicity there is no justice”

Jeremy Bentham – Mr Justice Cobb: ‘Justice must be seen to be done’

Check out the articles on Mr Justice Williams, His Honour Now His Dishonour, His Honour Judge Michael Slater, His Honour Judge Martin Davis, His Honour Judge Guy Kearl, HHJ Farquhar, HHJ Bedford, DDJ Nicholes, Judge Pinder, Can you Criticise a Judge, Can you Email a Judge ? and the highly dubious Sussex Family Justice Board.

His Honour Judge Melbourne Inman KC on X !

Fair dealing for criticism, review or quotation is allowed for any type of copyright work. All sources acknowledged. Article updated 16th April 2025 to update latest JCIO Disciplinary Statements.

The Ministry of Injustice is not the Ministry of Justice nor is it affiliated in any way with the justice system, legal profession or any law enforcement agencies.

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 William Ewart Gladstone

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