A magistrate has been removed from office after he revealed the identity of an alleged victim in a sexual abuse case. According to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, David Armitage disclosed information which he obtained in his capacity as a magistrate to members of an organisation with which he was affiliated, concerning proceedings connected to that organisation.
Armitage’s disclosure was ‘capable of revealing the identity of an alleged victim in a sexual abuse case’, a JCIO spokesperson said. His actions amounted to gross misconduct.
Armitage stated that, at the relevant time, he was ‘unaware of the anonymity provisions’ in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.
The JCIO said: ‘Mr Armitage stated that he had obligations to the magistracy and the organisation but ultimately felt that he had a duty to inform the organisation of an impending risk. Mr Armitage stated that, whilst his sharing of information may not have been the correct thing to do, it was done inadvertently and with the best of intentions.’
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The JCIO said the disciplinary panel considered Armitage’s remorse, that he accepted full responsibility and had no previous findings of misconduct.
‘However the disciplinary panel also took into account that Mr Armitage had acted without seeking advice from his bench leadership or court legal adviser, and that the public confidence in the judiciary would be undermined if Mr Armitage were to remain in post after gross misconduct,’ it added.
The lady chief justice, with the lord chancellor’s agreement, removed Armitage from office.
