Notice of Decision of Benchers to Suspend Mr Paul McLoughlin, Barrister–at–Law

Pursuant to Rule 37(4)  of the Society, notice is hereby given that the Bar Council made the following complaints to the Disciplinary Committee of the Society in relation to Mr Paul McLoughlin (described in the complaints as the Respondent).

1. The Respondent was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of the criminal offence of harassment, contrary to section 10 of the Non–Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 on 8th June 2012.  The Respondent failed to inform the Bar Council of the conviction.  The Respondent was thereby in breach of Rule 2.13 of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in that he did not forthwith or at all report to the Bar Council the fact that he had been convicted of a criminal offence which might bring the profession into disrepute.
2. The Respondent engaged in conduct which brought the barristers’ profession into disrepute by engaging in conduct which led to his conviction for the offence of harassment contrary to section 10 of the Non–Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.  The conviction was in respect of offending behaviour which occurred between 1st day of May 2006 and 14th day of May 2010.  The Respondent was thereby in breach of Rule 1.2(b) of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in that he engaged in conduct which may bring the barristers’ profession into disrepute.
3. The criminal offence in respect of which the Respondent was convicted related to the harassment of a colleague between 1st day of May 2006 and 14th day of May 2010.  By so doing, the Respondent did not act in an ethical manner.  The Respondent was thereby in breach of Rule 1.2(c) of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in that he failed to observe the ethics of the barristers’ profession.
4. The Respondent’s harassment of a colleague over a significant period of time from 1st day of May 2006 to the 14th day of May 2010 and subsequent conviction for the offence of harassment contrary to section 10 of the Non–Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 amounted to serious breach of respect for a colleague.  The Respondent was thereby in breach of Rule 7.1 of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in that he did not treat a colleague with civility and respect.
5. The Respondent by his harassment of a colleague over a significant period of time from 1st day of May 2006 to the 14th day of May 2010 and subsequent conviction therein fell below the standards expected of a member of the barristers’ profession.  The Respondent was thereby in breach of Rule 2.4 of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in that he did not uphold the standards set out in the Code of Conduct, and the dignity and high standing of the profession of barrister and his own standing as a member of the profession.
6. The Respondent by his behaviour aforesaid has not upheld the standards set out in the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland.  The Respondent is thereby in breach of Rule 1.1. of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland.

The Benchers of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns at its meeting of 11 January 2017 confirmed the report of the Disciplinary Committee in which it upheld the complaints made on the basis of an acceptance by Mr McLoughlin that the complaints made by the Bar Council in the Complaint document were made out.   The Benchers confirmed the sanction recommended by the Disciplinary Committee and resolved that Mr Paul McLoughlin be suspended from practice as a Barrister–at–Law to include all rights and privileges as a Barrister, including rights of audience for a period from the making of the final decision of the Benchers until the 11th December 2028.  In addition, the Committee deemed it appropriate that the aforementioned disciplinary measure should be the subject of publication/registration in accordance with Rule 37 of the General Rules of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns.

Mr Paul McLoughlin is therefore suspended from practice as aforesaid until 11th  December 2028.