From top: Chief Justice Frank Clarke and Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe; Anthony Sheridan
OK, let’s get the obvious truth out in the open – Séamus Woulfe is a dud judge. He’s not fit to judge a dog show never mind sit in judgement in the highest court in the land. [With sincere apologies to all dog show judges.]
We only have to look at some of his judgements surrounding Golfgate to see how unfit he is to hold such a high position. As a Supreme Court judge he felt it was acceptable to:
Party with politicians.
Break Covid 19 rules he had helped draw up.
Blame everybody else for the consequences of his bad judgements.
Furthermore, it is clear that his overweening arrogance has completely blinded him to the core reality surrounding his behaviour – the obvious requirement for his immediate resignation.
In addition to all this he has completely misread the clear signals encouraging him to take the honourable course of falling on his sword.
The first signal came from retired Supreme Court judge Susan Denham’s report when she found it would be unjust and disproportionate to call for his resignation. The key words here are ‘to call for’. Anyone not overwhelmed by their own self importance would have clearly understood the subtle message – wield the sword yourself.
Clearly, Judge Woulfe does not do subtlety so a second signal was necessary.
This occurred when the Judicial Council released the entire transcript of Woulfe’s first interview with Ms. justice Denham. This unprecedented public washing of judicial dirty laundry had many cringing in embarrassment at the bizarre and abject excuses proffered by justice Woulfe.
Everybody, that is, except Woulfe himself. He seems to be genuinely puzzled by the angry response of politicians, colleagues in the judiciary and the general public.
It was time to call in the heavy gang, so to speak. Three senior judges met with Mr. Justice Woulfe to discuss how the matter could be resolved. It has been reported that the meeting did not go well, that Woulfe was shocked by the proposals they were offering to resolve the matter.
Did not go well, is, without doubt, the understatement of the year.
It is highly likely that the judges [metaphorically of course] took Woulfe by the throat, pinned him up against a wall and shouted in his face: ‘Resign you fool before you do any more damage to our reputation.’
But still, the thickness of his skull prevented the message from getting through. Instead of recognising the brutal fact that his Supreme Court career is over, Woulfe decided to call in sick.
There is now no way back for justice Woulfe nor, indeed, the judiciary. All the dirty laundry is out there. If he is not removed or forced to resign the reputational damage to the judiciary will be enormous and permanent.
And Mr. Justice Woulfe will not primarily be responsible for that damage. His complete lack of understanding of the responsibilities and propriety expected of a Supreme Court judge has earned him a gold plated fool’s pass.
No, responsibility lies with the judiciary and the mainstream political parties who, over the decades, formed a relationship so close it left no room for the accountability that is the norm in other jurisdictions.
It was inevitable, sooner or later, that a Woulfe in judge’s clothing would gain entry and wreak the havoc we are now witnessing.
Anthony Sheridan is a freelance journalist and blogs at Public Enquiry.
Pic: Courts Service
Most Judges are clowns anyway. They do not live in the real world. Open up a newspaper any day of the week and you will read about Judges handing down soft sentences to criminals. It is maddening. If a criminal is thrown in Jail they automatically get 25% remission. The criminals that escape Jail get suspended sentences and in some cases they get Community service. It would make your blood boil
always irks me to read the court section of the papers. the worst is judge martin nolan. some of the things he lets people off with is beyond insane. yet if a regular joe comits a crime you get the book thrown at you, to deter you leaning into that life, whereas repeat offenders, career criminals, get off extremely lightly. like they expect them to live like that so they assist it. the judicial system here is beyond repair.
Nolan used to be a guard. He’s definitely living in the real world.
If a criminal is thrown in Jail they automatically get 25% remission.
Yes.
Guess what? The Judge *knows* this too. And if she thinks someone should spend 3 years behind bars, she will sentence them to 4 years. Bongo. It all works out.
I’m wary of this insistence on perfection. No doubt Anthony Sheridan has never put a foot wrong.
be more concerned about a man who sat beside a partition while it was in place and removed and didn’t realise he was beside a partition.
Have you never been to a golf dinner? So stultifying your brain disengages ‘til it’s time to go home.
+ didn’t notice that someone came through the partition behind him to collect a prize, so he just thought this guy materialised out of thin air?
You can go too far hounding people ,let it be .
I would have agreed with you if it hadn’t been for the attitude expressed in the interview with Denham
Dis is not hounding, Mary. Real proper hounding involves mobs in the street, burning buildings and corpses hanging off lamp-posts.
@bodger
any chance of getting legal coffee drinkers thoughts on all of this?
Will do, axelf.
cheers bodger
The only Judge i respect is Judge Judy because she does not mess around. It will be a sad day when she retires
totes!
Judge Dredd does a fair line in justice too though. Harsh, but fair.
“The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him”.
Wolfie’s insurance claim.
Or
“I thought my window was open but I found it was up when I put my head through it” is another possibility.
who cares though? makes no odds to anything.