Seventeen UK judges sacked

MORE than 2000 complaints about judges were made to Britain’s judicial watchdog in the past year and 17 judges were sacked.

MORE than 2000 complaints about judges were made to Britain’s judicial watchdog in the past year and 17 judges were sacked.

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office received more than 2000 complaints and 574 written inquiries in 2013-14, said Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

The JCIO took over from the Office for Judicial Complaints on October 1 last year.

A total of 2108 complaints against judges, magistrates or trib­unal members were received between April 1 last year and March 31 this year, a slight fall compared with the 2154 received during the previous year.

Of the 2018 complaints received, 1190 (59 per cent) related to judicial decisions or case management and could not be considered under the rules.

A total of 17 judicial office-holders were removed from office compared with 20 who were removed from office in 2012-13. Of these, five were magistrates, eight were tribunal members and four were judges.

Judith Anckorn, head of the JCIO, said 58 cases had resulted in disciplinary sanction.

“This reflects a very small propo­rtion, less than 3 per cent of the total number of complaints concluded in the year,” Ms Anckorn said.

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