A High Court judge who failed to issue a judgment until 14 months after an initial hearing has been given formal advice for misconduct.

The Honourable Mr Justice Sweeting (Derek Sweeting) apologised for the late judgment and acknowledged it should have been completed earlier.

In mitigation, he told the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) that his busy sitting schedule and personal matters had contributed to the lateness. 

No further information about the case or Sweeting’s schedule was released by the JCIO in its public statement.

A spokesperson for the JCIO said: ‘The Lord Chief Justice, with the Lord Chancellor’s agreement, has issued Mr Justice Derek Sweeting with formal advice for misconduct.

‘Following an investigation…a nominated judge found that Mr Justice Sweeting had not issued a judgment in a timely manner and failed to immediately recognise the consequences of his actions. The judgment was not issued until fourteen months after the initial hearing.

‘Mr Justice Sweeting apologised and acknowledged that the judgment should have been completed earlier. In mitigation he cited his busy sitting schedule and personal matters.’

Sweeting, who was called to the Bar in 1983, was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2001. He was chair of the Bar Council in 2021 and became a High Court judge in 2022.