JCIO issues formal advice to magistrate, who referred to a “Jewish accounting system”
On Friday, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) issued a magistrate with formal advice, following allegations of “unconscious bias of an antisemitic nature”.
The JCIO’s decision related to Lynn Killoran JP, a Merseyside magistrate, following a complaint by a fellow magistrate who is Jewish, regarding comments in which Ms Killoran allegedly referred to a “Jewish accounting system”.
She allegedly said that “Jewish charities are believed to make use of the ‘Jewish Accounting System’, whereby money disappears without a trace and reappears later at a much higher value.”
The complaint alleged that Ms Killoran made the comments when talking about her work within the charity sector and that she drew links between Jewish charities and fraud.
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the Judicial College, “making stereotypical allegations about Jews” is an example of antisemitism.
Ms Killoran reportedly denied making most of the alleged comments and also said that the comments she did make were taken out of context and were not antisemitic.
Following an investigation, a nominated member of the North-West Region Conduct Advisory Committee advised the JCIO that some of Ms Killoran’s statements “betrayed unconscious bias”. They also concluded that whilst her actions were “not deliberate or malicious”, they did demonstrate a “lack of awareness” and made her colleagues “uncomfortable”.
Mr Justice Keehan and the Lord Chancellor concluded that formal advice, which had been suggested by the nominated member of the Advisory Committee, was “reasonable and proportionate”. They also considered that Ms Killoran’s comments were “ill-judged” but “not malicious or intended to cause offence” and agreed that it was an “isolated incident”.
