Judgment Approved by the court for handing down.
[2025] EWHC 1170 (Admin)
AC-2024-LON-001310
HUSAIN v SRA
53.
The harm to those affected and to the reputation of the profession was high, and
foreseeably so: [55]-[58]. The misconduct was deliberate and calculated and repeated,
continuing over a period of 9 months: [59]. The misconduct was motivated by and/or
demonstrated hostility, based on protected or personal characteristics of a person,
namely race and religion. There was clearly a bullying element and puerile and crude
sexual references: [60]. Other than a hitherto unblemished record, there was no
mitigation. Mr Husain had shown “no insight whatsoever”: [62]. His apology to Mr
Myerson was not genuine and he had shown “no contrition”: [63]. He had been unduly
combative during the proceedings: [64]. He had transitioned from portraying himself as
a “stout defender of freedom of speech” to being someone who was “angry and
depressed and not able to control his impulses”: [65].
54.
In the circumstances, the Tribunal considered that the only sanction to protect the
public and public confidence in the profession for this “ingrained behaviour” was an
order that he be removed from the Roll: [66]-[70].
55.
The Tribunal considered Mr Husain’s means and made no order as to costs: [73]-[94].
Ground 1
Submissions for Mr Husain
56.
Mr Magennis for the appellant submitted that the Tribunal irrationally concluded that
the appellant was not disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 (“the 2010
Act”), wrongly excluded the psychiatric report and GP’s letter from its consideration of
liability, contrary to the guidance in Bar Standards Board v Howd [2017] EWHC 210
(Admin), failed to make reasonable adjustments in breach of s. 20 of the 2010 Act (in
that it refused to have the hearing on non-consecutive days) and failed to make findings
in relation to breach of s. 15 of the 2010 Act.
Submissions for the SRA
57.
Mr Solomon for the SRA submitted that the Tribunal was correct to say that there was
no evidence that Mr Husain was disabled. The psychiatric report of Dr Zaman was
admitted only for the purpose of determining reasonable adjustments and mitigation.
The decision not to admit it as relevant to the substance of the complaints was taken at
a case management hearing separate from the final hearing and cannot be challenged on
appeal. Howd turns on its facts and is not analogous to the present case. Section 15 of
the 2010 Act is a definition section and is in any event not relevant.
Discussion
58.
In Howd, the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Council of the Inns of Court found six
charges proven against a barrister. These related to his sexually inappropriate conduct
on one evening at a party held by his former chambers. Lang J found at [21] that the
medical evidence established on the balance of probabilities that “his inappropriate, and
at times offensive, behaviour was a consequence of his medical condition”. At [48], she
said: “if the public was aware that his behaviour was a consequence of a medical
condition, and so lacked any reprehensible or morally culpable quality, it would be
unlikely to diminish their trust and confidence in the profession or in Mr Howd as a