A criminal law barrister who, along with his solicitor wife, was convicted of stalking a woman has been suspended from practice. Jonathan Simpson was handed a year long suspension by an independent disciplinary tribunal at a hearing yesterday.
In June last year, Simpson, previously a criminal law specialist at Charter Chambers in London, was convicted of stalking his former partner and causing her alarm and stress.
He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Southwark Crown Court.
His wife at the time, Katherine Simpson, a consultant at London firm Pemberton Greenish, was served with a restraining order. She has been referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Simpson pestered his un-named former lover to explain why she had called off the relationship and also had inappropriate conversations with the woman’s new boyfriend on a train.
His wife swore at the women on the phone and wrote to her relatives claiming she had given her husband a sexually transmitted infection. She also described her as a ‘chavvy woman from Southampton’ in letters sent to her directly.
A BSB spokesperson said: ‘A conviction for stalking is a serious matter. Simpson’s conduct was below the standard expected of barristers. A suspension from practice reflects this.’
