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James Brenan @ 13.53 - I can understand the view that, perhaps, the more professional response from Mr Lewis would have been to ignore such abusive tweets or messages directed towards him.

However, he was not acting in a professional capacity at the time. That is not determinative, but I do think it is highly relevant. I've also not been subject to thousands of such messages, so I would personally hesitate to judge anyone too harshly for responding to some.

In my view though, the real question is not what would have been the most professional way to respond or deal with this, but whether his actions should have regulatory consequences. I've not seen the judgment, and the reporting has yet to include more than 1 example of Mr Lewis' replies. However, that reply amounted to not much more than saying "yeah, you too mate" to someone who had apparently wished him dead.

I suspect the members of the profession who feel that Mr Lewis acted so unprofessionally that he should be sanctioned are holding him up to a higher standard than the vast majority of the public would.