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JUDGE RUDEY

Over 40 judges and magistrates ticked off for bad behaviour last year

DOZENS of judges and magistrates were told off for bad behaviour last year, a watchdog’s report has revealed.

Their misdemeanours included everything from bad language and social media rants, to speeding and rudeness.

Crown court judge Mark Horton was found guilty of misconduct after using his position to try to bully a company’s owners for payments after it went bust
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Crown court judge Mark Horton was found guilty of misconduct after using his position to try to bully a company’s owners for payments after it went bust

Among the 42 reprimanded by the Lord Chief ­Justice and the Lord Chancellor was crown court judge Mark Horton, found guilty of misconduct after using his position to try to bully a company’s owners for payments after it went bust.

Judge Adrian Reynolds racked up 12 points on his licence after speeding and got a six-month ban.

He was reprimanded for not telling bosses about some of his ­earlier driving convictions.

He avoided a harsher penalty only because of his long public service.

Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland and the Lord Chief Justice reprimanded 42 judges and magistrates for bad behaviour last year
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Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland and the Lord Chief Justice reprimanded 42 judges and magistrates for bad behaviour last yearCredit: Alamy Live News

Meanwhile, district judge Melanie Hay was given formal advice after making “a derogatory remark” to a party in a case.

While magistrate Eric Murphy was rebuked after being “seen to have his eyes closed” during a hearing.

In total 1,292 complaints of misbehaviour were dealt with by the Judicial Complaints Investigations Office in 2019-20, down from 1,672 in the previous year.

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