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judges sacked for watching porn on work computers

(35 Posts)
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GillT57 Tue 17-Mar-15 11:04:55

Just announced on Radio 4 news, that 3 have been sacked and one had already resigned for watching porn on their office computers. Yet another sordid episode in this ghastly child abuse cover up concerning MPs and the establishment. There must be a few people waiting for the knock on the door......if judges are being sacked....the whole thing makes me sick to the stomach.

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Mishap Tue 17-Mar-15 11:15:05

What is it about being in a powerful position that seems to warp their minds!

If it was not child porn, then there need be no prosecutions, but watching any porn at work when you are in a seriously important post with people's liberty at stake really takes the biscuit. It is pretty sickening I agree.

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Soutra Tue 17-Mar-15 11:34:34

I fear the extent of "warped" minds extends far wider than many of us had ever imagined. But to me the sheer stupidity is what appals every bit as much, that, along with the arrogance that "the rules don't apply to me". These are people with power and one would have assumed of probity not to say intelligence. OK we are all fallible, but to misquote Animal Farm, some are clearly more fallible than others.
Exactly the same goes for Rifkind, Straw, Dorries et al and their financial shenanigans.

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harrigran Tue 17-Mar-15 11:40:25

If the people who are dishing out sentences for crime are so perverted then it can hardly be a fair system. You can not command respect when your morals are no better than the criminals appearing before you.

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HildaW Tue 17-Mar-15 11:44:59

Nothing new I'm afraid....they still forget that 'Caesar's wife should be above suspicion' (apologies to Shakespeare).

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jinglbellsfrocks Tue 17-Mar-15 11:48:17

Surely not child porn? Were they in their place of work at the time, or was it laptops they take home with them?

Would be nice to think all judges were clean living and thinking, through and through. But, sadly, not very likely.

Best to judge them on their work I think.

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Ana Tue 17-Mar-15 11:50:36

There's no suggestion that it was child porn in the Sky news report.

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jinglbellsfrocks Tue 17-Mar-15 11:52:35

Well that's one thing. hmm

I guess professionals use their 'puters for all sorts.

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GillT57 Tue 17-Mar-15 11:58:08

exactly soutra and the shame that this brings on their families, do these people not consider that? How do you explain what Grandad has been doing? It seems to be that the very fabric of our legal system from Parliament through the judiciary to the police is like cutting into a rotten apple.

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GillT57 Tue 17-Mar-15 12:08:09

it has been stated that the porn was not involving children or anything illegal which is a relief I suppose.

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petallus Tue 17-Mar-15 12:16:35

Yes, but they could be hearing a case involving rape. Porn often portrays women as helpless victims being abused./

Imagine being a woman in court, having to go over awful details of an assault, and the judge has just come from getting off on porn.

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Nelliemoser Tue 17-Mar-15 12:18:44

I despair of this, my work computers were linked in to a county wide IT system and the warnings about misuse of the county system were well publicised as there were very legitmate concerns about the dangers of any virus's entering this huge IT system, but stupid people still forwarded Emails, that had the sort of heading "Police Notice" etc with those very dubious warnings about some scam or other.

You would have thought that those judges would have had instructions about the use of the justice systems computers for any fully private use at all never mind accessing pornography on them.

Never mind the morality just think about their gross stupidity to have looked at this stuff on a work computer.

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Soutra Tue 17-Mar-15 12:27:27

Not wishing to diminish the appalling nature of pornography involving children (or animals) but pornography remains pornography and degrades and exploits women. Let's not somehow "excuse" it by saying "at least it is not X, Y or Z"
Using a work computer to access pornography would result in most employees being subjected to disciplinary measures if not sacking. If we cannot look up to our judges, what hope is there? <head in hands>

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JessM Tue 17-Mar-15 12:32:18

Yes I would agree soutra and nelliemoser reputable workplaces have detailed internet access policies spelling out exactly what you cannot do on a work computer. Breaking the rules would be a serious disciplinary matter, possibly leading to sacking.
A teacher for instance using their school laptop to access porn...

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Stansgran Tue 17-Mar-15 12:33:22

Were they all male judges ? And were they looking at male / female / hetero porn? And had they sentenced anyone for this in their time in court? That's what I want to know.

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Anya Tue 17-Mar-15 12:45:27

It's not acceptable. No ifs or butts (sorry).

Someone mentioned Caesar's wife....that's it exactly.

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Ana Tue 17-Mar-15 12:46:11

They were all men, but as viewing pornography per se isn't against the law it's unlikely any of them would have sentenced anyone for it. It could have played a part in other crimes, though.

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Galen Tue 17-Mar-15 12:49:40

All male. One was a recorder and one an immigration judge. A lot of 'judges' are in fact what used to be chairmen or magistrates in the past and have since become known as judge. They were only lawyers doing this part time. But as these had offices I suspect they must have been full time

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feetlebaum Tue 17-Mar-15 13:31:43

Some immigration judges are fee-paid, others are full-time. (I put a web-site together for the Council of Immigration Judges - their professional association.) It is a junior branch of the judiciary.

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feetlebaum Tue 17-Mar-15 13:32:12

By full-time, I mean to say salaried.

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GillT57 Tue 17-Mar-15 13:45:35

Agreed soutra despite lots of apologists for porn speaking out in its defence ( not on GN), it is generally accepted that porn degrades and demeans women ( and men) and I would be extremely concerned if any of these judges had been involved in sexual violence or rape cases. Apart of course, from the arrogance that assumes that all work place rules do not apply to them, and the sheer stupidity of not realising that they would get found out eventually. Not great people to be passing judgement on the rest of us.

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TriciaF Tue 17-Mar-15 13:49:21

One of my work colleagues was caught out using works phone for those sexy chatlines, in working time . He wasn't sacked, but warned and embarassed. He was an Ed. Psych.
Was that almost the same? It's a form of theft.

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loopylou Tue 17-Mar-15 14:04:26

It beggars belief!
These are people with highly respectable jobs who have been caught flaunting authority, arrogantly presuming they are above scrutiny.

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jinglbellsfrocks Tue 17-Mar-15 14:20:45

How come they were all discovered at the same time? Has there been a sudden sweep of all judges computers? confused Which professions will they get round to next?

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janerowena Tue 17-Mar-15 14:24:32

Every large business that has a computer network of its own will have IT employees who can see exactly what is being looked at. They shouldn't do it unless specifically asked to, but they have the power to. There is always the danger that someone is looking over your shoulder at what you are typing, I suspect the judges were not exactly IT literate.

In France, or Italy, they would probably say that the morals of the judge are not relevant - what is required is the ability to see the morals of others objectively.

Maybe it would be safer if all judges were women. They do look at porn apparently, according to surveys, but not as much and in a different way.

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