UK judges sacked
Three UK judges have been sacked and one has resigned after viewing pornography on work computers in their offices Getty

Three judges - including one who jailed a Peterborough teacher for downloading child pornography - have been sacked and one has resigned after they "inexcusably" viewed pornographic material on their government computers in their offices.

District Judge Timothy Bowles, immigration Judge Warren Grant and, deputy district Judge and Recorder Peter Bullock were sacked following an investigation into alleged misconduct while a fourth judge, Recorder Andrew Maw, resigned before he too was dismissed.

They do not face any criminal prosecutions but the decisions mark the end of their judicial careers.

In 2004, Maw jailed biology teacher Matthew Curtis for eight months after he downloaded 17 illegal images, including nine images that showed adults sexually abusing children.

Their removal followed complaints to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, the body that assesses whether complaints falls within the system or are personal ones.

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said: "Three judges: District Judge Timothy Bowles; Immigration Judge Warren Grant; and, Deputy District Judge and Recorder Peter Bullock; have been removed from judicial office following an investigation into an allegation that they viewed pornographic material on judicial IT equipment in their offices.

"The Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice were satisfied that the material did not include images of children or any other illegal content, but concluded that this was an inexcusable misuse of their judicial IT accounts and wholly unacceptable conduct for a judicial office holder.

"A fourth judge, Recorder Andrew Maw, was also found to have viewed similar inappropriate material via his judicial IT account.

"The Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice would likewise have removed Recorder Maw had he not resigned before the conclusion of the disciplinary process. The judges were not linked in any way."

It is also possible the judges could ask for the Judicial Appointments and Complaints Ombudsman to review the decision made by the Office for Justice Complaints.