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A barrister who arrived drunk to court, collapsed inside the courthouse, and was taken away by ambulance has been handed only a modest fine.
A self-employed UK barrister has been fined £1,000 (equivalent to under AU$1,900) after arriving at court intoxicated, collapsing in the courthouse, and being taken away by ambulance.
Heard by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), James Hankinson was due to represent his client at a local court in England on 12 March 2025, but the hearing was derailed after he arrived intoxicated and subsequently collapsed in court.
As a result of his condition and being taken to the hospital, Hankinson was unable to represent his client, leading to the adjournment of the hearing.
Although Hankinson notified his chambers of the incident, his client also reported it, describing clear signs of intoxication during their earlier meeting, including a “strong smell of alcohol”, “red eyes”, and “slurred speech”.
Rather than conceal what had happened, Hankinson self-reported the incident to the Bar Standards Board on 17 March, explaining the circumstances and the steps he was taking to address it.
Hankinson took the additional step of voluntarily stepping back from practice until arrangements were made with his chambers, effectively undertaking a five-month self-imposed suspension.
In submissions to the Bar Standards Board, he said he held “deep regret” over what occurred and described himself as “increasingly ashamed” of his actions that day.
Although the disciplinary panel accepted the incident was isolated and acknowledged his previously unblemished regulatory record, the Bar regulator ultimately found his conduct amounted to professional misconduct.
The Bar regulator concluded that Hankinson’s conduct was contrary to his duty to the court and the administration of justice, not in his client’s best interests, and likely to erode public trust and confidence in the profession.
In reaching its decision, the regulator noted his cooperation in reporting the incident, the deep remorse he expressed, and his ongoing abstinence from alcohol since the incident as relevant factors in determining the level of sanction.
The panel initially considered imposing a £2,000 fine (equivalent to AU$3,779), but reduced the penalty to £1,000 (under AU$1,900) after taking into account significant personal mitigation.
