Magistrate sacked after using title to oppose Covid vaccines

Kaira McCallum sat on cases at Westminster Magistrates Court
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An anti-vaxxer has been sacked as a magistrate after after using her title to campaign against the government’s efforts to combat the pandemic.

Kaira McCallum has been removed from the Central London bench after an investigation found she had inappropriately used her status as a ‘JP’, compromising her judicial independence.

She also sent a “highly inappropriate” email to a senior courts manager who had issued Covid safety information to staff and the judiciary.

Announcing her sacking, a spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) said: “The Lord Chancellor, with the Lord Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Kaira McCallum of the Central London bench from the magistracy for serious misuse of her judicial status.

“Following an investigation by the London Conduct Advisory Committee Miss McCallum was found to have associated herself publicly with activity in relation to the government’s response to the Covid pandemic.

“In doing so, Miss McCallum was also found to have aggravated her conduct by referring publicly to her judicial status.

“The Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice found that Miss McCallum’s conduct amounted to a serious breach of important guidance on judicial impartiality and of guidance issued to magistrates about use of the suffix ‘JP’.

“Miss McCallum also sent a highly inappropriate email to a senior manager in His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, who had issued information to staff and judiciary about Covid safety measures.”

Ms McCallum had sat on criminal cases at Westminster magistrates court until spring 2021.

In April last year, a press release was issued in the name of Kaira S McCallum JP and another woman, announcing that a complaint had been made to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The press release accused the British government of genocide, crimes against humanity, and breaches of the Nuremberg Code.

The JCIO notice added: “In deciding to remove Miss McCallum from office, the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice agreed with the finding of a disciplinary panel that, due to the nature of her conduct, allowing her to remain in office would risk damage to the reputation of the judiciary.

“They also took into account that Miss McCallum had failed to acknowledge her actions were in any way improper for a judicial office-holder.”

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