Three judges in Britain have been sacked for using their official accounts to view pornographic content.
In his ruling the Lord Chief Justice said even though pornography wasn’t illegal in content, the judge’s acts were unacceptable and it was an ‘inexcusable misuse’ of their official accounts which is unacceptable conduct for a judicial office holder.
The disciplinary action was taken after an investigation into the judges conduct by the Judicial Conduct investigations office.
District Judge Timothy Bowles, Immigration Judge Warren Grant and Deputy District Judge and Recorder Peter Bullock have been removed from office.
Analysts say the announcement by the Judicial Conduct investigations office, is unprecedented. That it is very rare for a judge to be removed from office.
For three judges, albeit pretty junior ones, to be sacked at the same time represents a serious blow to the reputation of the judiciary.
However, there is no suggestion that any of the sacked judges did anything illegal in accessing pornography via their judicial computers.
Had they done the same thing at home there would have been little basis for dismissing them.
