A magistrate who shouted at HM Courts & Tribunals Service staff during a hearing has been issued with formal advice for misconduct.
Following a complaint by a member of staff, Nicholas Letherby denied he had shouted but acknowledged the incident had occurred and he had raised his voice. He described his behaviour as ‘out of character’ saying he was under ‘significant personal pressures at the time’.
However, according to a Judicial Conduct Investigations Office statement an investigation found Letherby had shouted at the staff member and the action was ‘deliberate but not premeditated’.
The investigation acknowledged Letherby ‘was under considerable personal stress at the time and noted his previously unblemished conduct record during his 22 years as a magistrate’, a spokesperson for the JCIO said.
Mr Justice Keehan, on behalf of the lady chief justice and with the lord chancellor’s agreement, issued Letherby with formal advice for misconduct, the least severe sanction for misconduct by judicial office holders.
