Magistrate's 'belittling' behaviour leads to formal advice for misconduct

A magistrate who made a ‘diminishing’ comment about a member of court staff’s religious observance has been issued with formal advice for misconduct. 

A complaint was made by court staff that Gillian Sebright had, during a hearing in open court, ‘spoken to them and to another member of staff in an inappropriate and accusatory tone’.

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said: ‘It was also alleged that Ms Sebright made an insensitive and diminishing remark when the complainant expressed concerns that the court may not finish on time due to management of the court list, and that they wished to finish on time to enable the observance of their religious beliefs.’

In Sebright’s representations to the JCIO, she said she had ‘experienced some frustrations due to a number of events which occurred in court’. Sebright apologised and accepted her actions had ‘fallen below the high standards expected of a judicial office holder’.

‘Ms Sebright expressed regret and also acknowledged the effect of her actions and the upset felt by the complainant,’ the JCIO said. ‘Ms Sebright emphasised that she would never unintentionally cause offence to another person in relation to their religious beliefs.’

An investigation found Sebright had breached the guide to judicial conduct which states that judicial officer holders treat others fairly and respectfully and to build effective working relationships with colleagues.

Sebright, who had a 20-year unblemished record of service as a magistrate, was found to have been ‘reckless in how she expressed herself’ and she ‘had not intended to behave in a rude and belittling way’. The investigation found Sebright’s communication towards the staff members was ‘brusque and inappropriate’ and her ‘comment about the member of staff’s religious observance was also found to be diminishing’.

Mr Justice Keehan, on behalf of the lady chief justice, and with the lord chancellor’s agreement, issued Sebright with formal advice for misconduct as a ‘reasonable and proportionate’ sanction.