Human rights lawyer suspended for online abuse of barrister
A BARRISTER has been suspended for a foul-mouthed social media tirade as her victim condemned the “cowardice” of the profession that failed to stop her.
Barbara Hewson, a human rights lawyer, was suspended for two years by a tribunal that found she had used obscene or seriously offensive languages against a fellow barrister.
A spokesman for the Bar Standards Board said the decision “demonstrates the serious consequences that can arise from such offensive and abusive behaviour online”.
But the barrister she abused, Sarah Phillimore, asked why no one had stepped in as Ms Hewson ranted online, saying it was the “awful realisation about my profession that is the most painful and frightening thing” of the three-year saga. Ms Phillimore, who practices family law, said that at the time Ms Hewson’s judgment was “seriously impaired” yet she was allowed
“free reign” to abuse others online. The “apathy and cowardice of my profession” was partly to blame, plus those who “should know better” supporting Ms Hewson, she said. “All of you who stood by silently or worse, encouraged and supported her are complicit,” Ms Phillimore wrote on social media.
Ms Hewson, formerly of 1 Gray’s Inn
Square Chambers, has for some time courted controversy with outspoken opinions, including that the age of consent should be lowered to 13. She was also criticised for reportedly describing campaigner Sara Payne, whose daughter, Sarah, was murdered by a paedophile, as “brain-damaged”.
She and Ms Phillimore became embroiled in a row, initially over child protection issues, which descended into abuse by Ms Hewson. In tweets and blog posts that spanned a number of years Ms Hewson used language that was “seriously offensive, abusive and publicly disparaging towards another barrister”, the tribunal found.
In a series of expletive-ridden messages she described Ms Phillimore, who practices family law in Bristol, as “manipulative and toxic”, a “malicious crackpot” and “unhinged”.
The judgment noted that the messages were “publicly disparaging” and directed at her “competence and/ or reputation as a barrister”.