A senior Crown Court judge has been formally reprimanded after a disciplinary tribunal found he engaged in an 'inappropriate clandestine relationship' and sexual activity with his court clerk partner within the confines of his private chambers.
The judge, identified only as a member of the Circuit Bench, admitted to the misconduct, which was deemed to have potentially undermined public confidence in the judiciary. The incidents occurred on multiple occasions at a court building in England.
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) confirmed the findings, stating the judge's actions 'risked bringing the judiciary into disrepute'. While the judge acknowledged the affair, he claimed the relationship was known to some colleagues, a defence the tribunal ultimately rejected.
In a statement, the JCIO said: 'The Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice agreed with the findings of the investigation panel that the judge's conduct has fallen short of the standards expected of a judicial office holder and that the conduct amounted to misconduct.'
The judge avoided harsher sanctions but received a formal reprimand, which will remain on his record. The case highlights the strict professional and ethical codes that members of the judiciary are expected to uphold, even in their private lives.
