- Saturday, April 20, 2024
By: Barnie Choudhury
A crown court judge’s legal fight against the Ministry of Justice, the lord chancellor, and the lord chief justice has moved a step closer.
Judge Kaly Kaul QC claims she was bullied by senior members of the judiciary who failed to support her after she complained about the conduct of three barristers during a trial in 2015.
In court papers seen by Eastern Eye, Judge Kaul alleges that “three of the counsel behaved in a manner which was disrespectful, discourteous, unprofessional, and rude”.
In 2019, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) found that one of the barristers was guilty of misconduct. It has yet to rule on the other two lawyers.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has also acknowledged that the behaviour of one of its barristers “fell below the required standard”.
Court papers also reveal that Judge Kaul contends that senior judges and court staff failed to support her during a trial, causing her to suffer from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
It is also alleged that a senior justice grabbed Judge Kaul’s “arm and dragged her across a corridor, digging his fingers into her arm where they remained, causing redness and tenderness”.
In a virtual hearing before Master (Roger) Eastman in November (24), the court set the trial date for the first Monday in February 2023.
The master apologised to Judge Kaul for not allowing a retired justice into the public hearing.
The MoJ has previously admitted that the judiciary and the government did owe a duty of care to Judge Kaul.
