Judge who disrespected Pakistani quits his job

For many years in Britain, almost all small businesses have been run by Indians or Pakistanis so it is easy to assume that that is all that Pakistanis do.  But it isn't and a judge was unwise to say it was.  But was he racist or was he just old and careless?

A judge who allegedly made racist comments in court about an Asian victim of crime has been forced to resign in shame from his £150,000 a year post.

Judge Terence Hollingworth had asked lawyers to fetch Deepa Patel – the victim in a serious harassment case - so he could finish sentencing her ex-boyfriend.

But Rachel Parker, prosecuting, told the judge she was unsure whether Miss Patel would be able to attend court at such short notice due to work commitments.

However the district judge allegedly replied: ‘It won't be a problem. She won't be working anywhere important where she can't get the time off. She'll only be working in a shop or an off-licence.’

When Miss Parker asked the judge to clarify his comments, he added: ‘With a name like Patel, and her ethnic background, she won't be working anywhere important where she can't get the time off. So that's what we'll do.’

At this point Miss Parker withdrew from the case at Preston Magistrates' Court and told the judge: ‘I am professionally embarrassed. I cannot prosecute this case.’

The Crown Prosecution Service later made an official complaint after the incident on October 30 last year and four weeks later Mr Hollingworth resigned as a district judge.

A spokesman for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said: ‘Judge Hollingworth resigned as a tribunal judge during the course of the conduct investigation. He is no longer a judicial office holder in any capacity.’

SOURCE