MSPs debate judicial interests register, Top judge Alistair Dunlop revealed to have shares in bribes link firm. WHILE the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee continues to investigate proposals to create a register of interests for the judiciary contained in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary, it has been revealed in the media that a top Scottish judge holds shares in a firm hit with a £13.9 million Proceeds of Crime fine for bribing Saddam Hussein's regime.
Details of the Sheriff’s investments have come to light in disclosures contained in a limited register of interests covering a select few members of a judicial quango headed by Scotland’s most senior judge, Lord President Lord Brian Gill who is personally opposed to the creation of a register of judicial interests for all members of Scotland’s judiciary – plans which are currently being discussed by msps at Holyrood.
The latest information, published by the Scottish Sun newspaper reveals that Sheriff Principal Alistair Dunlop QC, who is in charge of Tayside Fife & Central, has shares in Weir Group, which pled guilty to paying ‘kickbacks’ in return for contracts from Saddam Hussein’s government. The Weir Group also admitted facilitating the payment of kickbacks by paying a fee of more than £1.4 m to their agent, an Iraqi national, to the same Swiss bank account. The agent made the payments to the Iraqi government on behalf of Weir.
The paper also revealed that Sheriff Principal Dunlop has shares in British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, who were involved in bribes scandal in China where four of its executives including an Australian citizen, were found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes and stealing commercial secrets. The four were given sentences of 7 years to 14 years in prison.
The case saw Rio Tinto accused of using stolen information to harm China’s economic interests, costing Chinese steel mills an additional $150 million a year. From 2003 to 2009, the court said, the four defendants used “improper means” to gain information that allowed Rio Tinto to “jack up the price that China paid for its iron ore imports.”
Further disclosures on investment links between members of Scotland’s judiciary and companies involved in criminal charges, prosecutions and scandals both at home and abroad is expected to be published soon.
The Scottish Sun on Sunday reports:
JUDGE HAS SHARES IN BRIBE FIRM
Stocks Register Plea
EXCLUSIVE: by Russell Findlay
Scottish Investigations Editor The Scottish Sun on Sunday May 11 2014
A TOP judge holds shares in a firm hit with a £13.9million proceeds-of-crime bill for bribing Saddam Hussein's regime,The Scottish Sun on Sunday can reveal.
Sheriff Principal Alastair Dunlop 62, has a stake in Glasgow based Weir Group, hammered in 2011 for paying kickbacks to land contracts in Iraq.
He also has shares in mining giant Rio Tinto, whose executives admitted bribery in China four years ago.
Sheriff Dunlop - the most senior sheriff in Tayside, Central and Fife - must declare his interests as a Scottish Court Service Board member but they are not made public.
Last night campaigner Peter Cherbi - who led calls for a register to improve transparency - said "I believe judges like Sheriff Principal Dunlop cannot hold investments in firms guilty of breaking the law"
Tory MSP John Lamont added "The public would fully expect judges to be transparent. A register would improve public confidence."
Sheriff Dunlop declined to comment but the Judicial Office for Scotland said investments were "a matter for the individual".
Previous articles on the lack of transparency within Scotland’s judiciary, investigations by Diary of Injustice including reports from the media, and video footage of debates at the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee deliberations on Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary can be found here : A Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary
76 comments:
As I will be working for my benefits soon [or starve] I wonder if any law firms want someone in the know to distribute leaflets for them? I would gladly do it.
This is going to hurt Gill's claims to the msps about no need for a register.
Anyway well done and good work the Sun.
With that kind of a headline it's incredible television is staying away from the story.Proves the point the BBC must have their own vested interest in refusing to report on this and your petition.
Who is going to trust a judge who has shares in companies like this?and what else is so toxic they are fighting the Scottish parliament to keep secret?
"Further disclosures on investment links between members of Scotland’s judiciary and companies involved in criminal charges, prosecutions and scandals both at home and abroad is expected to be published soon."
Ouch! Lord Gill will order you brought before him in chains very soon!
On one hand Lord Gill tells msps the oath and all this ethics rubbish protects the public and here we have a judge investing in companies breaking the law all over the place and bribing their way in business.
Peter was right all along about the judges and this is why Gill is so against you because he knows it himself.
Good one Pete!
Sheriff Dunlop declined to comment but the Judicial Office for Scotland said investments were "a matter for the individual".
==================================
Yes the client, wise people stay away from lawyers because they are their own law breakers who through self regulation ruin clients and stay unpunished.
This was the same Sheriff Principal who gave the determination in the death of Colin Marr http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2011FAI20.html
Dunlop could not decide if it was murder or suicide
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-19047915
There is plenty about it online for people to read up on
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/pathologist-says-suicide-death-of-colin-1096143
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/review-death-colin-marr-released-1188552
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/inquiry-demand-into-handling-of-stabbing-death.22206743
Fife Constabulary initially treated the death as suicide, but Mr Marr's mother and stepfather, Margaret and Stuart Graham, have continually criticised the initial handling of the case. The former police force has previously formally apologised for their immediate response to the death.
However, Mr and Mrs Graham believe this did not go far enough. Among their complaints is what they see as a lack of integrity, with seven individuals involved in the investigation taking early retirement before a formal investigation or disciplinary action could be taken.
The Grahams said: "The actions taken by Police Scotland, in dealing with the glaringly obvious attempt by Fife Police to whitewash the actions of their officer(s), have caused further delays in dealing with our substantiated issues, and will most likely allow another officer to retire before facing accountability. This fight is not based upon emotion but down to the simple and fundamental fact that we have been failed in the worst way possible"
Ms Bonar, who now lives in Australia, said Mr Marr stabbed himself when she told him she was leaving him.
After a fatal accident inquiry in 2011, Sheriff Alastair Dunlop said he could not decide if the death was suicide or homicide, but said this should not undermine the presumption of innocence of Ms Bonar.
Mr and Mrs Graham want to see "immediate action" against the Senior Investigating Officer who led the inquiry from October 2008.
They added: "We want to see a full investigation, independent of police, into the actions of Fife Police on the night of our son's death and in the aftermath, to make accountable those who failed in their duty."
Mr Marr's family have been supported by Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie in their calls for further investigation.
He said: "I would urge Police Scotland to address this once and for all and authorise a transparent and thorough investigation."
There is little means of benchmarking the activity of these legal actors. They expect us to take their word that they are of the highest integrity and honesty, but the harsh reality has taught many the severe consequences of using the courts.
Stay away people, you cannot win as many who have tried will tell you. Trust these people and you stand a high chance of being ruined and as there is a non existent complaints system no recourse therefore no justice. Lawyers think clients are money spinners that is all, they want to make money from you but all are your enemies. Lawyers are chameleons, ask one to sue another and their faces go red with anger and disgust. Stay away if you know what is good for you.
They have shares everywhere, that is why Gill claimed their interests were too numerous to list. Too much to hide more like Mr Gill. What a plonker, he must think we are a bunch of fools.
How can we compare a good law firm from a bad when their histories are not known. You cannot so they are all bad.
A bit iffy we have judges investing in firms already convicted in our own courts!
What now for all the blurb about judicial ethics?
Judging from what you say he's not the only one at it.Top judge Gill must now be wondering if he should have done the right thing and created this register when you first suggested it to the msps instead of him fighting you all the way for what now appear to be obvious reasons.
The latest information, published by the Scottish Sun newspaper reveals that Sheriff Principal Alistair Dunlop QC, who is in charge of Tayside Fife & Central, has shares in Weir Group, which pled guilty to paying ‘kickbacks’ in return for contracts from Saddam Hussein’s government. The Weir Group also admitted facilitating the payment of kickbacks by paying a fee of more than £1.4 m to their agent, an Iraqi national, to the same Swiss bank account. The agent made the payments to the Iraqi government on behalf of Weir.
The paper also revealed that Sheriff Principal Dunlop also has shares in British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, who were involved in bribes scandal in China where four of its executives including an Australian citizen, were found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes and stealing commercial secrets. The four were given sentences of 7 years to 14 years in prison.
Not the kind of companies I'd expect a judge to be involved in
It is painfully obvious now why Lord Gill has used his judicial muscle to intimidate the Scottish Parliament and your petition - because there is far too much to hide in what these judges are doing in the background.
God help anyone coming up against Scottish judges with all their interests so numerous they refuse to make it public - for all we know now just about every and any case in Scotland can be compromised and this is why they are refusing to declare.Anyway you are winning the debate because everyone expects judges to be honest and open about everything so Lord Gill has made the situation a lot worse by piling on the pressure to keep all their interests a secret.Good work!
What a good blog I never imagined Scotland's justice system was as bad as it is!Anyway this also happens here in the US except I haven't seen a judge threaten Congress in the way your judge did!Judges over here also use their power to cover their a$$e$ even if what they get up to hits the news.
Gill knew about all these shares and what the companies were up to and this is why he is so dead against your petition
Like you I really think judges have to focus on the court and not get into all these share deals and stuff like that.If they have chosen law as their career and end up as a judge it has to be that and nothing else otherwise all the interests you are writing about creep into whatever they are doing as a judge and it cannot be otherwise because they are like everyone else thinking about their money its just they have a lot more of it and a lot more power to make things happen.
Anonymous said...
The latest information, published by the Scottish Sun newspaper reveals that Sheriff Principal Alistair Dunlop QC, who is in charge of Tayside Fife & Central, has shares in Weir Group, which pled guilty to paying ‘kickbacks’ in return for contracts from Saddam Hussein’s government. The Weir Group also admitted facilitating the payment of kickbacks by paying a fee of more than £1.4 m to their agent, an Iraqi national, to the same Swiss bank account. The agent made the payments to the Iraqi government on behalf of Weir.
The paper also revealed that Sheriff Principal Dunlop also has shares in British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, who were involved in bribes scandal in China where four of its executives including an Australian citizen, were found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes and stealing commercial secrets. The four were given sentences of 7 years to 14 years in prison.
Not the kind of companies I'd expect a judge to be involved in
------------------------------------------------
I am not surprised and do expect them to be involved in these investments. An MP said homeowners should not pay tradesmen cash as 'it is immoral'. Well people pay tradesmen cash and they accept it for the same reasons MP's help themselves to taxpayers money, ie self interest, for the same reasons lawyers want to self regulate, as the latter is self interest. Those in positions of power want a moral code for the public to adhere to and do not want the same code for themselves. The Judiciary are all corrupt because there is no power to dissuade them from being so, hence the strong resistance to a Register of Interests. They are like magicians wanting to create an illusion, in their case the illusion the lawyers are honest. And it is an illusion.
Gill gave a speech at the LSoS AGM a few weeks ago called 'Looking over the Horizon' - At the time there was a joke he should have called it 'Looking over my shoulder' - in reference to your register petition!
Good Afternoon to the Sottish Legal Establishment. I expect you to ruin my life and strip me of rights against my crooked lawyer, because that is the reality is our so called democracy.
I know why I will never go to a Scottish lawyer and the public should avoid you all, you mendacious self regulating criminals.
You hit the big time in this one for sure.
This must be the tip of the iceberg to what the judges are trying to keep secret because no way will Gill treat msps and everyone the way he has just to cover up a few shares.
Ethics is a non starter for Lawyers, dirty reprobates who totally corrupt.
They take a Judicial oath and invest in companies who control court proceedings. In other works especially in civil cases Judges and Sheriffs etc are controlled by the guiding hand, so it is not about justice, they destroy cases for ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££.
Oafs take Judicial Oaths and oaths are bullshit.
I suppose like anyone the sheriff wants to earn a crust on his shares BUT when it comes to judges having shares in a company convicted in Scotland of bribing for contracts this cant be allowed surely its just not right is it.
Spoke to someone in the know today and heard the rest of RA Dunlop's interesting share portfolio.
Incidentally do you know large corporations make it their business to know exactly who owns their shares and what they do for a living, their position, influence in public life etc.You realise what I am getting at?Doesn't take much to connect the dots does it?Companies tend to do well with judges as shareholders.This is a fact.
What you have uncovered here are Scottish judges investing in companies caught doing major financial harm to the Chinese state & spying on Chinese corporations.Why stop there when the going is good and no one is able to find out who owns what.
Remind you of anyone you write about who regularly travels to China and markets himself as a must have contact and fixer of situations?
There is much more than a few shares at stake here.
@ 15 May 2014 21:02
Good points.The companies mentioned do business all over the world and it seems in a similar way to how they were acting in China.
When individuals or groups of individuals as also happens to be the case with the judiciary acquire shares in companies they usually benefit from such investments and therefore also benefit from the way in which the company does business, legitimately or illegitimately.
Members of the judiciary benefiting financially from investments in companies convicted of criminality around the world ... most people will not see this as ethical or up to the standards those same members of the judiciary enforce in their own courts ... or how these very same members of the judiciary portray themselves in public and project an inaccurate image to the rest of us.
More will be reported on the shareholdings and other matters soon.
Members of the judiciary benefiting financially from investments in companies convicted of criminality around the world ... most people will not see this as ethical or up to the standards those same members of the judiciary enforce in their own courts ... or how these very same members of the judiciary portray themselves in public and project an inaccurate image to the rest of us.
==================================
Exactly image is what it is about. They project an image of decency and integrity and it is a facade. Like the new face of the Law Society, the Scottish Legal Coverup Commission. It is through dealing with them, then they teach us what they are. Stay away folks and don't let them educate you. listen to us who have been there. It is an eternal trick to convince their next victims there is no danger, but there is beware.
I wouldnt turn my back on any Scottish judge - they are clearly up to their eyeballs in money and in it for that alone and doing harm to us - you just need to take a look at the courts on any one day to see it.At least all this attention will give some people around the world an alternative view of what Scottish judges are really up to and dont forget the ones in our Government who allow them to get away with it!
Anonymous said...
On one hand Lord Gill tells msps the oath and all this ethics rubbish protects the public and here we have a judge investing in companies breaking the law all over the place and bribing their way in business.
Peter was right all along about the judges and this is why Gill is so against you because he knows it himself.
Good one Pete!
14 May 2014 19:17
:;:;:(:):)::):(:(:;::(:(:):)::)
The Scottish Judiciary's barrel has a hole in it......
Because of the huge number of times it's bottom has been scraped!
Anonymous said...
Sheriff Dunlop declined to comment but the Judicial Office for Scotland said investments were "a matter for the individual".
==================================
Yes the client, wise people stay away from lawyers because they are their own law breakers who through self regulation ruin clients and stay unpunished.
14 May 2014 19:36
-----------------------------
Whoever this quote was attributed to should get the sack?
These people do-not-give-a-jot about the Scottish Public and carry on grabbing at cash from all angles and pay lip service to the public who they are supposed to be serving.
The Scottish Judge is a complete disgrace and should be sacked on the spot for bringing the Judiciary in Scotland into disrepute, if that is even possible anymore?
Anonymous said...
There is little means of benchmarking the activity of these legal actors. They expect us to take their word that they are of the highest integrity and honesty, but the harsh reality has taught many the severe consequences of using the courts.
Stay away people, you cannot win as many who have tried will tell you. Trust these people and you stand a high chance of being ruined and as there is a non existent complaints system no recourse therefore no justice. Lawyers think clients are money spinners that is all, they want to make money from you but all are your enemies. Lawyers are chameleons, ask one to sue another and their faces go red with anger and disgust. Stay away if you know what is good for you.
14 May 2014 20:32
-----------------------------------
The Scottish Courts must be some of the most corrupt in the whole World?
Anonymous said...
A bit iffy we have judges investing in firms already convicted in our own courts!
What now for all the blurb about judicial ethics?
14 May 2014 20:40
%%%%%%%%%%%%
This is what happens when you trust Scottish Judges to do the right thing...
They just take advantage and fill their boots with cash and say to hell with the rules, I am a Scottish Judge and I can do as I please because I am above the law?
Anonymous said...
The latest information, published by the Scottish Sun newspaper reveals that Sheriff Principal Alistair Dunlop QC, who is in charge of Tayside Fife & Central, has shares in Weir Group, which pled guilty to paying ‘kickbacks’ in return for contracts from Saddam Hussein’s government. The Weir Group also admitted facilitating the payment of kickbacks by paying a fee of more than £1.4 m to their agent, an Iraqi national, to the same Swiss bank account. The agent made the payments to the Iraqi government on behalf of Weir.
The paper also revealed that Sheriff Principal Dunlop also has shares in British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, who were involved in bribes scandal in China where four of its executives including an Australian citizen, were found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes and stealing commercial secrets. The four were given sentences of 7 years to 14 years in prison.
Not the kind of companies I'd expect a judge to be involved in
14 May 2014 21:46
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Scottish Judges = No Morals
Anonymous said...
It is painfully obvious now why Lord Gill has used his judicial muscle to intimidate the Scottish Parliament and your petition - because there is far too much to hide in what these judges are doing in the background.
God help anyone coming up against Scottish judges with all their interests so numerous they refuse to make it public - for all we know now just about every and any case in Scotland can be compromised and this is why they are refusing to declare.Anyway you are winning the debate because everyone expects judges to be honest and open about everything so Lord Gill has made the situation a lot worse by piling on the pressure to keep all their interests a secret.Good work!
14 May 2014 23:27
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And to think that NONO and MacRaskill were as thick as thieves in trying to keep all of this a secret from the Scottish People?
Anonymous said...
Like you I really think judges have to focus on the court and not get into all these share deals and stuff like that.If they have chosen law as their career and end up as a judge it has to be that and nothing else otherwise all the interests you are writing about creep into whatever they are doing as a judge and it cannot be otherwise because they are like everyone else thinking about their money its just they have a lot more of it and a lot more power to make things happen.
15 May 2014 11:20
£££££££££££££££££
Any Judge who has been filling their wallet with bundles of £50's whilst they are already massively overpaid and in doing so are seen to be associating themselves with interests that could compromise them as a Judge should be sacked on the spot and be charged with defeating the ends of justice?
It is obvious they were only getting involved in these compromising deals because they thought they could never be caught, such was their cushy little scam?
Anonymous said...
What a good blog I never imagined Scotland's justice system was as bad as it is!Anyway this also happens here in the US except I haven't seen a judge threaten Congress in the way your judge did!Judges over here also use their power to cover their a$$e$ even if what they get up to hits the news.
15 May 2014 01:30
VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV
We are fortunate indeed to have brilliant Public Service Journalists working for The Diary of Injustice?
Anonymous said...
Gill gave a speech at the LSoS AGM a few weeks ago called 'Looking over the Horizon' - At the time there was a joke he should have called it 'Looking over my shoulder' - in reference to your register petition!
15 May 2014 11:40
£££££££££££££££££££
Or flying over the horizon to check out some new investment (under the guise of a conference)?
Anonymous said...
I suppose like anyone the sheriff wants to earn a crust on his shares BUT when it comes to judges having shares in a company convicted in Scotland of bribing for contracts this cant be allowed surely its just not right is it.
15 May 2014 19:50
........................................
It is if you are Scottish Judge who believes they are above the law and their fellow lawyers at the Crown Office have got their back....?
Unacceptable.There can be no excuse for a judge holding shares in a company convicted of crime.
Its not just Lord Gill who goes to Taiwan.Lord Hardie is on the same route now. No mention of how much he cost the ROC..
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-hardie/2647
Visit to Taipei, Taiwan, 8-16 February 2014, to give lecture to senior judges, senior government officials, prosecutors and lawyers; travel and accommodation costs paid by Republic of China government
This Scottish Judge is making a mockery out of his position as a Judge?
If they are all like this then Scotland is Dooooooomed!
What is gonna be next?
Fixing cases for cash?
It beggars belief that Scottish Judges standards have fallen so low so as to allow this?
Anonymous said...
Unacceptable. There can be no excuse for a judge holding shares in a company convicted of crime.
===================================
Judges are sitting in Court with criminal convictions one for benefit fraud as DOI have reported. Nothing shocks me about these legal people. If fact I expect them to be corrupt.
Good angle on the judges shares and liked the fact you put across the point of view from the Chinese court ruling rather than just going with corporate mining bs talking the whole thing down.
How can Scottish Judges get away with sharp-practise conduct Scot-Free?
Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
Unacceptable. There can be no excuse for a judge holding shares in a company convicted of crime.
===================================
Judges are sitting in Court with criminal convictions one for benefit fraud as DOI have reported. Nothing shocks me about these legal people. If fact I expect them to be corrupt.
17 May 2014 12:08
££££££££££££££££££££
I have lost all confidence in the Scottish Judicial System and for my forthcoming Court case I am going to cite the fact that Scottish Judges cannot be trusted and that in order to get a fair hearing under ECHR Rules, the Scottish Government must start providing 'safe' Judges from out with Scotland to make sure Justice is seen to be done?
Scottish Judges have destroyed Scotland's Judicial System?
Scotland is morally bankrupt if this is what is going on at the core of the state?
This corruption is showing that Scotland has lost her Soul?
You have certainly proved your worth to the debate on judges interests!Without you and the petition none of this would be coming out at all!
Ever thought about getting onto a paper?
Wonder how many times this guy has been up in front of the judges and they knew all along
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/lawyer-who-earned-12million-legal-3558798
Lawyer who earned £1.2million in legal aid banned from practising after going bust for second time
May 18, 2014 00:01
By Norman Silvester
BRIAN Gallen, who was also made bankrupt in 2009, was sequestrated by HM Revenue over an unpaid tax bill of around £60,000.
A leading criminal lawyer has been banned from practising after he went bust for a second time.
Brian Gallen, 62, was sequestrated last week by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill of around £60,000.
Gallen’s sequestration means his lawyer’s practising certificate is automatically suspended and he cannot represent clients.
It is the second time in five years Gallen has gone bust. He was also made bankrupt by HMRC in 2009 – again, over an unpaid tax bill.
The father-of-four, 62, ran a legal practice in Kilmarnock next to the town’s sheriff court.
In the last 10 years, he has earned around £1.2million in legal aid.
Between 2007 and 2009, Gallen earned £573,400, including £211,000 in one year.
Last year, his firm Murray Gallen earned more than £110,600 in legal aid.
But Gallen, who has been a lawyer for 40 years, has had other financial problems.
In 2009, he was taken to court over £5000 unpaid rent on his offices in King Street, Kilmarnock.
In 2007, we revealed how he even struggled to pay his car tax despite his lucrative legal aid handouts. Gallen was caught with an out-of-date tax disc on his Mercedes S-class during a crackdown by the DVLA.
His new bankruptcy means he cannot practise law until his sequestration is discharged by the courts – which normally takes ayear. After he went bust in 2009, he closed down his firm Brian G Gallen Solicitors and later formed Murray Gallen Solicitors with his lawyer wife Roselyn, 57.
Yesterday, Gallen said of his tax bill: “I made an offer to HMRC, however it was refused.
“I have not yet decided if I will ever return to law.”
The Law Society of Scotland said: “Brian Gallen was sequestrated at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on May 7, 2014.
“Following sequestration, a solicitor’s practising certificate is automatically suspended.
“Solicitors can apply for their practising certificate to be restored following sequestration.
“If approved by the Law Society of Scotland, a solicitor can be granted a restricted practising certificate which allows them to work under the supervision of another solicitor.
“As Mr Gallen was a sole practitioner, the firm Murray Gallen have ceased to trade.
“Clients of the firm who have any queries can contact the Law Society Registrar’s department.”
How long are you going to leave this one up?
The judges must be sweating buckets!
@ 17 May 2014 18:57
The companies whose employees were convicted & sentenced in China were clearly doing harm to local business in the opinion of the court, therefore the courts comments be reported.
It is therefore a matter of public interest that anyone in a position of authority holding shares in such a company should be identified, particularly where those investors may be members of the judiciary.
There are clear questions of ethical investments at hand.
@ 19 May 2014 12:22
It does not stop at Mr Gallen ... there are many similar case, some involving law firms where local sheriffs have an undeclared financial interest ... and then there are all those questionable default rulings in favour of law firms ...
@ 19 May 2014 15:16
As long as it takes for the public to understand and engage in the debate on transparency and accountability in the judiciary ... more to come soon.
Dear Law Society and the offshoots of your regulatory system we clients tell other clients there is no complaints system against crooked lawyers.
Anyone who believes there is a complaints system has never tried using it.
I am surprised you got this far with your petition the way Gill has been pulling strings trying to shut it all down anyway good work it must take a lot to get to the stage of the judge hammering the parliament because you asked about their interests
It is perfectly possible that an individual hands over a sum of money to a stockbroker for investment, and then relies on the broker to choose which firms give the best return.
However what is not acceptable is that the Sheriff Principal then effectively issues a 'no comment' when it transpires his funds have been placed in companies with a criminal record.
At the very least he should have acknowledged this information, confirmed if it was true or false, and if the former stated if this was previously unknown to him and if he intended to take steps to remedy the matter.
However clearly the judiciary are accountable to no-one but themselves and there is of course absolutely nothing to prevent any investor issuing instructions to a stockbroker that their funds only be invested in any one of the numerous ethical investment vehicles.
All in all the stubborn absence of any meaningful explanation or comment from the Sheriff Principal and the Judicial Office for Scotland do nothing but further undermine confidence in the scottish parliament and what is already widely recognized to be a dysfunctional legal system operating out of Edinburgh.
In this at least both manage to betray the merit of consistency, just look at the behaviour of the banks there!
Yes let them sweat because there is a lot more being concealed than just a sheriff with a big share portfolio
Very interesting there is not a single report about this on the BBC ever.They must have an interest in not reporting it.Maybe you should check out how many judges have friends at the beeb.
Obviously they are too busy spending all our money (£29million) on hotel fees and other perks to bother reporting real news.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/commonwealth-games/cwg-news/bbc-pays-out-29m-on-hotel-bookings.24264329
BBC pays out £29m on hotel bookings
Tuesday 20 May 2014
ADVANCE hotel bookings for events such as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer have seen the BBC spend almost £29 million on hotels over a three-year period.
Details of the bookings, released as a result of a Freedom Of Information request, show that last year the total was £11.6 million - £2.8 million more than the previous 12-month period.
The total spend is equivalent to nearly 198,000 licence fees, and includes one room booked in 2012 and outside the UK which amounted to £632.67 for a night.
Why is this Scottish Judges Scandal not all over the television news and debating programmes?
Let's face it, there is no point in having an Independent Scotland if at it's very centre is a corrupt coven of creeps, who are protected from the very laws they are supposed to revere?
I have had enough of the crime committed by the Scottish State, I am emigrating!
What's this I hear about Lord Gill being hysterical about handing over some data to the parliament?
Must be a lot to hide under all those wigs
Is this the type of example Lord Gill is boasting about, such that scrutiny of Scottish Judges should not be allowed?
This is what happens when they make themselves above the law?
Even though the Law Society of Scotland are keeping this corruption out of the media, it is inconceivable that Peter Cherbi's Petition cannot now go ahead and essential that there is an investigation into all Scottish Judges and Sheriff's to see how many have been on-the-take at the expense of the Scottish Public?
http://www.scotsman.com/news/law-and-legal-affairs-big-society-in-the-line-of-fire-1-1530052
I assume you already know there is a Court of Session judge who refused to declare a significant holding in a bank during an action involving the same bank and another.There was no recusal and every single motion was granted in favour of the bank.
The paper also revealed that Sheriff Principal Dunlop has shares in British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, who were involved in bribes scandal in China where four of its executives including an Australian citizen, were found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes and stealing commercial secrets. The four were given sentences of 7 years to 14 years in prison.
The case saw Rio Tinto accused of using stolen information to harm China’s economic interests, costing Chinese steel mills an additional $150 million a year. From 2003 to 2009, the court said, the four defendants used “improper means” to gain information that allowed Rio Tinto to “jack up the price that China paid for its iron ore imports.”
Just the type of company most people will not be expecting judges to invest in
@ 19 May 2014 20:08
...Some of the judiciary's internal discussions on the petition are hilarious .. particularly in terms of the extent of avoiding Freedom of Information ...
@ 20 May 2014 18:59
STV reported on the Lord President's refusal to attend the Petitions Committee ..
@ 22 May 2014 13:13
Old news, and an example of why circulations fall ...
@ 22 May 2014 13:38
Cases with conflicts of interest as the one you describe are commonplace in the Court of Session ...
Updates will follow soon.
Quite right and watching the BBC news channel anyone would think Scotland didnt exist! I'll be glad when SNP pull the plug on BBC Scotland and give us a proper Scottish broadcaster instead of having to watch all the crap the BBC serve up to divert Scots from what is happening here in Scotland.
These judicial secrets must be outed!
Anonymous said...
I assume you already know there is a Court of Session judge who refused to declare a significant holding in a bank during an action involving the same bank and another.There was no recusal and every single motion was granted in favour of the bank.
22 May 2014 13:38
£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££
Out the judge and jail him/her?
If invest in the company spy on other country the judge supporting it
88
Get many readers from Finland do you?
Their companies must have some sense in Finland not getting involved with companies prosecuted for bribing dictators.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-27602348
Weir Group abandons bid to buy Finnish rival Metso
Weir Group has dropped its attempt to take over Metso Corporation after the Finnish engineering firm rebuffed a second approach.
Glasgow-based Weir said it submitted an improved bid on 20 May which valued Metso at about 4.5bn euros.
It represented a 34% premium to Metso's share price on 26 May - the day before the bid was rejected.
Metso argued that the offer undervalued the company and was not in the best interests of its shareholders.
In a statement, Weir said its all-share exchange offer meant Metso shareholders would have owned about 40% of the combined group.
It also argued that the combined company could have achieved annual cost savings across both Weir and Metso of at least £150m a year.
The statement added: "The board of Metso did not engage with Weir and on 27 May 2014 rejected the proposal, based on its belief that the market does not fully value the prospects of Metso and that the proposal significantly undervalues Metso.
"Weir believes it made a compelling proposal but remains financially disciplined and therefore does not intend to pursue this opportunity further at this time."
Weir confirmed at the beginning of April that it had proposed a possible merger with Metso but the offer was later rejected.
At the time, Weir said it continued to believe there was a "compelling strategic rationale" for a merger.
Both companies produce industrial pumps and valves for global oil, gas and mining operations.
A deal would have helped Weir expand further into the heavy mining equipment sector, in which Metso is a market leader.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Finns took a look at what Weir did in the past and decided otherwise.
Metso made a good move and while I'm writing there are rumours a London law firm now wishes it had not bought up a firm of Edinburgh solicitors after finding out the extent of embezzlement among its partners.Heard about this?
The Finnish company made the right move against the Weir takeover.
I wonder what other countries like China are now thinking about Scottish judges who invest in corrupt companies who intentionally damage other countries economic interests.All these trips by Gill to China or Taiwan? should be put under the microscope - the people have the right to know what these judges are really up to and the deals or pocket lining fiddles going on in the background.
Is this legal a judge having shares in crooks????
In response to an unpublished comment today on 30/03/15 the information provided regarding the sheriff will be looked into.
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