Bar Tribunal finally acts
Barrister Henry Hendron has been disbarred after receiving a 14-month jail sentence for a number of drugs related offences.
Hendron was convicted in March last year of three counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting the supply of Class A and Class C drugs, and a further charge of possessing “a quantity of crystal methamphetamine”. His sentences concurrently totalled 14 months.
The drugs were purchased from clients Hendron was representing in criminal proceedings, with his arrest taking place outside of Belmarsh prison.
His behaviour, the independent tribunal said “was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the profession, and which could reasonably be seen by the public to undermine his integrity and independence.”
It continued: “Mr Hendron also had a previous criminal and disciplinary record, including for drug related offences, which were taken into account in making the order to disbar.”
Hendron’s legal troubles began back in 2015 when he was arrested after his boyfriend, 18-year-old Miguel Jimenez, was found dead in Hendron’s Temple flat following a drug overdose. Hendron was 34 at the time.
After pleading guilty in March 2016 to two counts relating to possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply he was handed a community order with 18 months supervision and 140 hours unpaid work.
He was then suspended from legal practice for three years, during which time he failed to comply with the tribunals order, and earned himself a reprimand and ban from public access work for a further two years.
Commenting on the most recent order, a BSB spokesperson said:
“Possessing and encouraging the supply of Class A drugs is clearly a very serious matter. The conduct for which Mr Hendron was convicted, including being involved in his client’s criminal activity, is clearly entirely unacceptable behaviour for a barrister and the Tribunal’s decision to disbar him reflects this.”
In statement, Hendron said:
“Previous tribunals had been generous to me and given me chance after chance which by my conduct I took for granted, and in the battle with addiction I squandered those chances to my own folly. In the time it has taken to determine the bar disciplinary process I have used in trying to come to terms with the inevitable prospect disbarment and of losing the profession I have spent my life serving and love. I fully endorse the sanction of disbarment handed to me today, it was the right sanction to impose.”
Along with his disbarment, Hendron was ordered to pay £2,670 costs.