Judges sacked after viewing porn on judicial IT equipment

Three judges have been removed from office following allegations they viewed pornographic material on judicial IT equipment.

Following an investigation, District Judge Timothy Bowles, Immigration Judge Warren Grant, and Deputy District Judge and Recorder Peter Bullock were found to have viewed the material in their offices.

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said that the Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling, and the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, were satisfied that the material did not include images of children or any other illegal content.

However, they concluded that the viewing of such material was an 'inexcusable misuse' of their IT accounts and 'wholly unacceptable conduct' for a judicial office holder.

A fourth judge, Recorder Andrew Maw, was also found to have viewed similar inappropriate material via his judicial IT account.

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office added that the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice would have also removed Maw had he not resigned before the conclusion of the disciplinary process.

None of the judges were linked to each other in any way.

John van der Luit-Drummond is legal reporter for Solicitors Journal