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Monday 25 September 2017

REASON ITSELF IS UNDER THREAT BY HUMPTY DUMPTY

All too often magistrates are reported to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office for what they have said either in court or our of court.  And all too often their perceived indiscretions conclude with their being removed from the magistracy.  Crown Court and District Judges (MC) rarely appear in the news for inappropriate remarks whether in or our of a court environment. Of course there is a simple reason for that apparent lack of judicial chastisement; such individuals are skilled in avoiding controversial remarks which might lead them to explain themselves before the JCIO.  What then of HH Timothy Spencer QC and his comments a couple of weeks ago at the gypsy slavers trial at Nottingham Crown Court. To quote the judge`s remarks from the report, "Judge Spencer told the family: "You claimed that what went on at Drinsey was no different from what was going on at any travellers' camps around this country, that all travellers had workers operating under similar conditions."Sadly, I very much fear that you may be correct about that. But that does not make any of it right."

Presumably it is the second of his sentences reported that have prompted a complaint since the first merely quoted the defendants` words. To observe the possibility that the defendants` admitted actions might indeed be the case does not, IMHO, justify the mean spirited complaint and referral by the National Alliance of Gypsy Traveller and Roma Women. They would surely have been wiser to issue a statement of fact refuting the judge`s comments if indeed they could be refuted. This recourse to complaining to authority about perceived offensive language is becoming endemic in a world truly smitten by the Humpty Dumpty virus of words meaning what the listener wants them to mean. The public spats over what is considered hostile to supposed transgender people is taking these forms of criticism to localities where reason has its head stuck up its arse.  Indeed reason itself is under threat and its adherents have fewer and fewer places to express themselves.

2 comments:

  1. I also feel that every minority group attempts to manipulate every situation which appears to be going against it as prejudice against its specific minority.

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  2. Has the National Alliance of Gypsy Traveller and Roma Women complained to the JCIO? If so how do you know?

    The JCIO does everything under a cloak of secrecy, hiding behind "Official Sensitive" and sec 139 of the Constitutional Reform Act. Even more surprising is that they are protected from the Freedom of Information Act as judicial conduct matters are apparently exempt.

    The paradox is that the JCIO publish a one sided and minimal report of the conduct disposals on their website. Nothing about investigations that have been dropped or dismissed.

    The majority of magistrates who cross paths with the JCIO for some obscure misdemeanour or for rocking the boat just resign, why should a volunteer put themselves through months of stress and anxiety when they may have done little more than step out of line or had a personal view.

    Once a magistrate becomes involved with the JCIO they stand alone, there is no support or help from the Magistrates Association, the Bench Chairman is unlikely too want to become involved, the Justice Clerk supports the Advisory Committee. Colleagues on the bench are unlikely to know what is going on, sadly the majority of those who do take on the role of three wise monkeys.

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