A spokesperson for the JCIO said: “Mr Justice Keehan, on behalf of the Lady Chief Justice and with the Lord Chancellor’s agreement, has issued Michael Barnes JP with a formal warning for misconduct.”.
A female magistrate made a number of allegations about Mr Barnes’s behaviour, which included him calling her a “trolley dolly” in reference to her former air cabin crew career.
Mr Barnes admitted that he had referred to the complainant as a “trolley dolly” in a light-hearted manner during a period of retirement, meaning it was not said in open court.
Mr Barnes’ apology was acknowledged but the committee member found that his comments were “recklessly unfeeling through sarcastic humour, resulting in emotional harm to the complainant”.
Mr Barnes did not make any explanation on the complaint that he had undermined his fellow magistrate’s distance learning law degree and denied all other allegations.
