法官講粗口

A top judge, who dropped the C-bomb during the sentencing of a defendant, is set to be investigated by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO).

Judge Patricia Lynch QC left a courtroom stunned earlier this week after branding John Hennigan “a bit of a c**t”.

Having breached his anti-social behaviour order for the ninth time, Hennigan was appearing before Lynch at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Halfway through Lynch’s sentencing remarks, Hennigan interrupted court proceedings, calling the experienced judge “a bit of a c**t”.

In a move that has since whipped up a frenzy on social media, Lynch quickly responded:

You are a bit of a c*** yourself. Being offensive to me doesn’t help.

Hennigan, continuing his verbal assault, yelled “go f*** yourself.” Lynch — on this occasion acting with more restraint — responded “you too”.

Lynch, who became a circuit judge 2014, eventually jailed Hennigan for 18 months for insulting and making racist slurs towards a black Caribbean woman.

Now, having complaints about Lynch’s language, the JCIO is set to investigate the incident. A spokesman said:

The JCIO has received complaints regarding HHJ (Her Honour Judge) Patricia Lynch’s comment in court which will be considered in accordance with the Judicial Conduct (Judicial and other office holders) Rules 2014.

The event — which gained widespread media coverage — has divided opinion among Legal Cheek readers.

One commenter suggested Lynch’s actions have done “her and the courts no favours”. While another, more supportive of the Lynch’s no nonsense approach, proclaimed “Patricia Lynch for president”.

(12/8/2016 The Legal Cheek)

嘩! 法官在庭上講粗口, 針鋒相對來回敬被告的辱罵, 是否有智慧的表現呢? 我真的不能認同這做法。被告罵你, 你就照辦煮碗, 以牙還牙, 未免有失身分了。

前天在高院上訴的持雙程證婦人, 不滿在庭外被搜身, 而把內外褲子也脫掉, 大叫大嚷:

【明報專訊】先後向多名法官及律師展開訴訟的婦人，不滿法官剔除她向另外3名法官提出的民事申索，在庭上向法官扔雞蛋，因普通襲擊罪罪成判囚4周，她出獄後繼續上訴，昨日不滿保安要求她入法庭前安檢，當她與保安爭執期間，突然脫去長褲及內褲露出下體，並大叫﹕「搜呀﹗搜呀﹗」

......

(13/8/2016)

持雙程證婦人梁偉珍，因為上次向高院司法常務官擲蛋而坐牢4週, 她每次上庭法庭保安都加以提防, 搜她的財物, 也屬合理做法, 她要吵要脫只是自暴其醜, 發洩之後也對所提出的訴訟毫無幫助, 總有這類以為發惡別人就會就範的人。這位女士已提出19次訴訟(其中18宗已有判辭), 屢敗屢戰, 皆因一件離婚案的贍養費所引起, 由向代表她的律師申索失敗, 繼而向法官索償。只要潑辣就得逞嗎? 當然也未必不會得逞, 那刁民議員不也是在庭上拍抬拍凳叫囂嗎? 有時可能使人覺得可以拍驚堂木, 先掌嘴或者叫衙役打幾板子的年代, 才能把刁民的氣焰殺掉。Andrew Lam 看到這婦人的新聞, 在前兩篇留下這佳句: 唯刁民與狗黨難養也。哈哈! 不過, 對付刁民與狗黨, 以其人之道, 還治其人之身, 可行乎?

英國這女官因為以粗口回敬被告而被調查, 雖然在Legal Cheek投票支持她這行為的人佔了大多數, 我始終覺得這是違反法官守則的行為, 反唇相稽以粗言回敬並非法官應有的表現。如果在香港發生, 這官可能會被罷免了。香港的《法官行為指引》(Guide to Judicial Conduct)第27條這樣寫:

27. 法官應以禮待人, 亦應堅持出席法庭的人以禮相待。法官無理責備律師, 以令人反感的語言評論訴訟人或證人, 及表現毫無分寸, 均可能削弱外界對法官處事公正的觀感。

警察在街上執勤, 遇到粗口辱罵, 也不能反唇相稽。在莊嚴的法院, 法官更不能用刁民相同的語言來反擊, 否則便會淪為刁民狗黨, 逞一時之快, 而喪失公正的形象, 根本就不值得。既然看不起刁民狗黨的行為, 自己又豈能依樣彷效呢!