Incident occurred at a bar, according to tribunal decision
A barrister has been reprimanded and fined after he reportedly “engaged in unwanted sexual conduct” towards a woman in a bar.
Kevin Barry, a barrister at London’s The 36 Group, acted in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the profession, according to a decision published by The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (TBTAS).
Barry, who was called to the bar in 1997, was found to have touched the woman’s face, told her she was beautiful and attempted to kiss her without her consent. The incident occurred at the entrance to a bar in October 2014.
The experienced consumer law and complex crime specialist is also said to have “placed his hand down the top of X’s skirt and squeezed her bottom on more than one occasion” at the entrance to the bar and “ran his hand up and down X’s thigh on more than one occasion, in a taxi without her consent”.
In a statement to Legal Cheek, Barry said:
“I admitted the misconduct which gave rise to the charge before the TBTAS, arising from an incident in October 2014. I deeply regret my behaviour on that occasion.”
He was reprimanded and fined £3,000. The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.
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