Rosewood Hotel: First incident occurred at after-work drinks
A male barrister who sexually harassed the same woman at two different social events has been disbarred by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Kevin James Barry, who was called in 1997, was found guilty on three counts of professional misconduct while in a “position of seniority”.
The tribunal’s full ruling has not yet been published but, according to the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the first incident was on 26 February 2018, at an after-work drinks event at the Rosewood Hotel bar.
He placed his hand on Person A’s upper thigh beneath her dress and “edged it upwards towards her groin”, and also touched her hair whilst making comments about it “which were of a sexual nature”.
The second event was a chambers silks party on 16 March 2018. Whilst standing next to Person A, he placed his hand on her bottom for a couple of seconds.
In both instances, “such touching, individually and/or cumulatively, was intentional, it was sexually motivated, Person A did not consent to it, and Mr Barry did not reasonably believe that Person A consented to it,” the BSB recorded.
The later action also violated Person A’s dignity, or created “an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for Person A”.
The conduct of Mr Barry, who admitted the charges, was likely to diminish public trust and confidence as well, the tribunal found.
A BSB spokesman said: “We would like to thank the individual who came forward and we recognise the courage it takes to make reports about behaviour like this.
“The Bar Standards Board treats all such allegations seriously and will take action where necessary. We are committed to ensuring that such behaviour is not tolerated at the Bar.
“Mr Barry’s actions were serious and incompatible with membership of the Bar and this is reflected in the decision of the tribunal to disbar him.”
The tribunal’s findings remain subject to appeal. The tribunal also ordered that Mr Barry should not be issued with a practising certificate pending any appeal.
It was not Mr Barry’s first appearance before the tribunal. In 2019, he was reprimanded and fined £3,000 after he engaged in “unwanted sexual conduct” towards a woman.
In September, Baroness Harriet Harman KC published 36 hard-hitting recommendations to counter bullying, harassment and sexual harassment at the Bar, and what she called its “culture of impunity”.
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