Controversial barrister Barbara Hewson has suddenly disappeared from her set, Hardwicke Chambers.
Hewson hit the headlines last year when she claimed that victims of rape could be partly to blame for their assault. She also criticised the doubling of the sentence handed down to paedophile Stuart Hall, advocated reducing the age of consent to 13 and suggested that rape victims should lose their anonymity.
Predictable outrage ensued. Hewson was demolished by the media, a petition was launched with the aim of getting the Law Society (sic) to "fire her", and Hardwicke had to put out a statement saying that it was "shocked" by her comments and completely disassociating itself from them.
And now she has vanished. The set confirmed that she was no longer there, but wouldn't comment on the reasons why. All sorts of rumours are circulating, but Hardwicke has a habit of reaching for injunctions when its barristers disappear under mysterious circumstances. So for now they'll have to remain unpublished.
RollOnFriday was unable to contact Hewson.
Stop press: 1 Grays Inn Square have confirmed today that Hewson will be joining their set. A spokesman said the set was delighted to have her.
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Hewson hit the headlines last year when she claimed that victims of rape could be partly to blame for their assault. She also criticised the doubling of the sentence handed down to paedophile Stuart Hall, advocated reducing the age of consent to 13 and suggested that rape victims should lose their anonymity.
Predictable outrage ensued. Hewson was demolished by the media, a petition was launched with the aim of getting the Law Society (sic) to "fire her", and Hardwicke had to put out a statement saying that it was "shocked" by her comments and completely disassociating itself from them.
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Barbara Hewson doing some barristering yesterday |
And now she has vanished. The set confirmed that she was no longer there, but wouldn't comment on the reasons why. All sorts of rumours are circulating, but Hardwicke has a habit of reaching for injunctions when its barristers disappear under mysterious circumstances. So for now they'll have to remain unpublished.
RollOnFriday was unable to contact Hewson.
Stop press: 1 Grays Inn Square have confirmed today that Hewson will be joining their set. A spokesman said the set was delighted to have her.
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Irrespective of her lawyering skills, don't you find her comments offensive? Let's not pretend this has anything to do with freedom of speech - she is entitled to speak her opinion - but I would be surprised if the progressive Lydia concurred with the following:
"victims of rape could be partly to blame for their assault [and that] rape victims should lose their anonymity.
What say you?
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