Deputy District Judge Christopher McMurtrie admitted using the hands-free function on his mobile phone to dial-in to court proceedings he was overseeing.
The civil court judge has now been given a formal warning for misconduct over the incident, after conceding his decision to go ahead with the hearing was “misguided” and promising not to do it again.
“Judge McMurtie conducted a hearing in his car, partly while driving and using his phone in hands-free mode,” a notice from the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) said.
“The judge failed to meet the expectation to avoid conduct which might reduce respect for judicial office.
“In reaching their decision, they took into consideration that Judge McMurtrie accepted that his decision to proceed with the hearing, after he had to travel unexpectedly for personal reasons, was misguided and he gave assurances as to his future conduct.”
Misconduct proceedings involving judges are notoriously secretive, conducted entirely in private with punishments dished out by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon and Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab.
The misconduct notice on Deputy District Judge McMurtrie does not say when the court hearing took place, the nature of the proceedings, how it was discovered he was driving, or any further details of the investigation.
