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Stop Press
Secret list of porn judges ‘does exist’
From The Times May 17, 2007
Frances Gibb, Legal Editor
The Lord Chancellor has
been forced to disclose that he holds a list of judges disciplined
for misuse of their computers, including viewing pornography.
The ruling on disclosure by Richard Thomas,
the Information Commissioner, comes after Lord Falconer of
Thoroton’s ministry, the Department for Constitutional
Affairs, refused to divulge the number and rank of judges
and magistrates who have been disciplined. But Mr Thomas said:
“It is important for the public to know and be assured
that the Lord Chancellor [now the Office for Judicial Complaints]
thoroughly investigates each and every allegation of computer
misuse by judges.”
At first, the department admitted it had held
the information but refused to provide it, claiming that it
was exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Then
it refused to confirm whether or not it even held the information.
But in his recent finding, the commissioner
concluded that to disclose that the information is held would
lead to “greater transparency, due to the public’s
right to know that serious complaints against judges (such
as complaints about computer misuse) are thoroughly investigated
and appropriately punished”.
The finding continued: “This knowledge
of transparency would reinforce public confidence in the Lord
Chancellor’s ability effectively to supervise the judiciary.
A greater loss of confidence in the Lord Chancellor would
arise from the public’s being ‘left in the dark’
on the true state of affairs.”
Responsibility for complaints and disciplining
of judges has since been handed over to the Office for Judicial
Complaints. A spokesman for the new Ministry of Justice confirmed
that it has the information but is refusing to release it.
In its first ten months, the Office for Judicial
Complaints has investigated 1,434 complaints against judges,
magistrates and other judicial office holders, but no breakdown
has been given as to how many relate to judicial misconduct.
Further commentaries:
http://hereticalsex.blogspot.com/2007/05/operation-ore.html
http://yourcaringgovernment.blogspot.com/
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