An employment judge who delayed issuing judgments, reasons and orders in more than 45 matters has been issued with a formal warning for misconduct.
Employment judge Tim Kenward was made subject to a complaint alleging a ‘pattern of delay’ in completing judicial work, including 46 outstanding judgments, written reasons, case management orders and reconsideration decisions across three regions between March 2023 and August 2024.
The complaint also said Kenward had failed to self-report the delays to his leadership judges for an extended period.
A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said Kenward ‘expressed sincere remorse’ and accepted responsibility for the delays. He acknowledged the delays were unacceptable and he had not self-reported in line with standard guidance.
The judge said he had taken steps to ensure such oversights were not repeated, gave personal and professional pressures as context - but ‘did not seek to excuse his conduct on that basis’, the JCIO said.
Read more
The JCIO said that the delays showed ‘failure to display the diligence and care of a judicial officeholder’. They were considered to create ‘operational harm, a risk of harm to parties affected’ as well as a ‘risk to reputational harm to the tribunal service’. The investigation found Kenward’s conduct amounted to ‘serious misconduct’.
The lady chief justice and the lord chancellor issued Kenward with a formal warning for misconduct noting Kenward was a ‘relatively recently appointed salaried judge’ and had shown insight and remorse, had ‘compelling’ personal mitigation and was no longer behind on his judgments.
