Findings and sanctions of past hearings

Details of published findings and sanctions imposed by Disciplinary Tribunals since BTAS started operations on 1 February 2013 are provided here.  Please note that, in line with the BTAS Publication Policy, findings will be removed from the website after 2 years, unless the finding of the Disciplinary Tribunal involves a suspension or disbarment. In these cases, the finding will be posted on the BTAS website indefinitely.

Details of findings and sanctions are published in accordance with the BTAS Publication Policy: Disciplinary Tribunals and other adjudication hearings.

In exceptional circumstances, a tribunal can require the Bar Standards Board to suspend the defendant’s practising certificate from a date determined by the tribunal and which can take immediate effect (rE227 and rE228 of the Bar Standards Board Handbook). In all other instances, the sanction described in the finding sheets attached will only come into effect after the time for appeal has expired. The date is further determined either by a decision of the Treasurer of the defendant’s Inn or the disposal of the appeal should one be made. For specific detail, please refer to the Enforcement Regulations at rE239 and rE241.

Appeals against relevant decisions of Bar Disciplinary Tribunals made before 7 January 2014 were heard by the Visitors to the Inns of Court.  Since that date appeals fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court (rE236).  The outcome of Visitors’ Hearings (appeals) and appeals to the High Court are also listed on this section of the website.

Using the facility below you may search by: name of barrister; date; type of hearing; sentence and section of the code.

Each set of findings is accorded a status on the following basis:

Open to Appeal: The case is within the period that a barrister can appeal the finding but no appeal has been submitted.

Appeal Pending – Sanction Stayed / Appeal Pending: The barrister has submitted an appeal, which is yet to be heard and the sanction will not be implemented until after the outcome of the appeal is known.  This will be the case unless the Disciplinary Tribunal has ordered that the sanction should take effect immediately.

Final – The finding has been pronounced either after the appeal period has expired or following the result of an appeal.

New findings are posted within seven days of a decision, although it can take up to 24 hours for the finding to appear on the website following its posting (or for a finding to not show on the website following its removal). 

Details of all publishable findings and sanctionss imposed by Disciplinary Tribunals from 2002 to the present date can also be found on the Bar Standards Board website by clicking here.

An alternative means of dealing with professional misconduct complaints is provided by the Determination by Consent (‘DBC’) procedure.  This process is where the Professional Conduct Committee exercises its power to determine the outcome of a disciplinary case with the barrister’s consent.  It is designed to provide a more speedy resolution of straightforward cases without the need for a formal Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.  Further information on the procedure can be accessed here.

Details of the practising status of any barrister can be found on the Bar Standards Board website, click here for further information.

Defendant

Wayne Lewis

(Lincoln's Inn)

Type of hearing
5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
Panel members
Finding and sentence
Suspended for 18 months and prohibited from public access work until the requisite course has been completed upon return to practise.

Mr Lewis has appealed against the Tribunal's decision.

On 12 November 2024 the appeal to the High Court was dismissed.
Status
Appeal dismissed
Dates
Wednesday 14 - Thursday 15 February 2024
Defendant

Iain Leadbetter

(Middle Temple)

Type of hearing
5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
Panel members
  • His Honour Stuart Sleeman (Chair)
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley
Finding and sentence
Disbarred.
Status
Final
Date
Wednesday 5 November 2014

Download published finding

Defendant

Glen Koh

(Middle Temple)

Type of hearing
5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
Panel members
Finding and sentence
Reprimanded. Suspended for 6 months [BSB not to issue a Practising Certificate if applied for during this period]. Costs of £3000.00 to be paid to the BSB within 28 days.
Status
Final
Date
Wednesday 20 October 2021
The Hearing is starting at 09.00 hrs.

Download published finding

Download report of finding & sanction

Defendant

Omar Khan

(Lincoln's Inn)

Type of hearing
5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
Panel members
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley (Chair)
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley (Chair)
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley (Chair)
  • Mr Godwin Busuttil
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley (Chair)
Finding and sentence
Disbarred
Status
Final
Date
Friday 24 February 2017

Download published finding

Defendant

Robert Kearney

(Inner Temple)

Type of hearing
5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
Panel members
  • His Honour Andrew Goymer (Chair)
  • Mr John Walsh
  • Ms Sarah Baalham
  • Ms Isabelle Watson
  • His Honour Nicholas Ainley
Finding and sentence
Suspended for 6 Months. Advised as to Future Conduct [should not take on pupils, mini-pupils or anyone on work experience]. Cost to be paid to the BSB of £3,000.00.
Status
Appeal dismissed
Dates
Monday 21 December 2020 and Friday 19 March 2021
This Hearing is taking place 'Virtually' due to CV.

Download published finding

Download report of finding & sanction

Defendant

Robert Kearney

(Inner Temple)

Type of hearing
5 Person Tribunal
Panel members
Finding and sentence
Mr Kearney appealed the Panel decision to disbar him to the High Court.
On 1 March 2024 the appeal was successful and the High Court has remitted the matter back for a new sanction hearing to take place. This will take place on Monday 16 December 2024
Status
Open to appeal
Dates
Wednesday 7 - Friday 9 December 2022, Thursday 5 January and Monday 17 - Wednesday 19 July 2023
Defendant

Stephen Kamlish QC

(Gray's Inn)

Type of hearing
3 Person Tribunal
Panel members
  • His Honour Peter Rook KC (Chair)
  • Mrs Kathryn King
  • Mr John Foy KC
Finding and sentence
Charges Dismissed.
Status
Final
Dates
Tuesday 14 - Friday 17 July and Tuesday 4 - Thursday 6 August 2020
This Hearing is taking place 'Virtually' due to CV.

Download report of finding & sanction

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