JCIO 97/25

   

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said:

Mr Justice Keehan, on behalf of the Lady Chief Justice and with the Lord Chancellor’s agreement, has issued Mr Benjamin Gravestock JP, a magistrate in the Gloucestershire Local Justice Area, with formal advice for misconduct.

Facts

The Guide to Judicial Conduct states that judicial office-holders are expected to show ‘respect for the law and observance of the law’ and comply with their responsibilities to promptly report conduct related matters. This includes reporting convictions for driving offences in relation to which:.

• any period of disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence is imposed, or,
• six penalty points are ordered to be endorsed on the licence, or,
• if a lesser number of points are ordered to be endorsed, the total points then endorsed on the licence exceeds six.

Mr Gravestock immediately informed his bench chair that between March 2024 and June 2025, he had received a total of nine penalty points on his driver’s licence for three separate speeding offences.

With Mr Gravestock’s consent, this matter was considered under the expedited process in the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2023. The expedited process allows the JCIO to advise the Lord Chancellor and Mr Justice Keehan that formal advice or a formal warning should be issued where the facts are not in dispute and the conduct is very likely to amount to misconduct warranting one of those outcomes.

Mr Gravestock’s representations

Mr Gravestock accepted responsibility for the offences and apologised. He emphasised his commitment to the magistracy and gave an assurance that he would improve his driving and drive safely in future.

Decision

After careful consideration, Mr Justice Keehan and the Lord Chancellor accepted the JCIO’s advice that Mr Gravestock’s actions amounted to misconduct and agreed with the JCIO’s recommendation to issue Mr Gravestock with formal advice. 
 

Notes for Editors

Media queries in relation to the JCIO should be made in the first instance to the Judicial Press Office - telephone 020 7073 4852 or via email - press.enquiries@judiciary.gsi.gov.uk 

Sanctions for misconduct by judicial office-holders are set out in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. They are, in order of severity: formal advice, formal warning, reprimand and removal from office.

For more information about the Office, including details on how to make a complaint against a judicial office holder, you can visit the JCIO website at: Judicial Conduct Investigations website