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Judge sentences disgraced lawyer to a holiday on the French Riviera
28 September 2012
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A retired Essex solicitor was packing speedos and beach towel this week after a judge ruled that he could breach the terms of his strict curfew to improve his skin condition on a beach in the South of France. 

Michael Passmore worked at his eponymous firm until last August. But his distinguished career hit a bump when he was stopped by traffic police and found to be four times over the drink-driving limit after a night in the pub. That's a lot, and would usually result in a hefty fine and a long ban after a good rollicking in court. But Passmore failed to show up in court and instead, as his LinkedIn profile shows, he fled to Sri Lanka for six months.

On his return, he was arrested and received a twelve-week suspended sentence for the drink driving, and another month on top for absconding. He was put under a strict curfew, which required him to be at home by 7pm (lest he slip out at night for another session on the sauce or back to Sri Lanka).

    The view from Michael Passmore's sickbed.

Perhaps bored of Strictly Come Dancing, Passmore challenged his curfew, and appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court this week in an attempt to have it relaxed. His reasoning: that his skin condition would be greatly improved by a beach holiday in the South of France. Well, whose health wouldn't benefit from a week on Cap Ferrat?

His lawyer told the court that all the sunshine (as well as the occasional salad Niçoise and chilled glass of rosé) would do wonders for his rash. Extraordinarily, given Passmore's history of flight, Recorder Neil Graham QC agreed. Bonnes vacances, Michael.


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anonymous user
28/09/2012 09:37
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Can I put a bid in for a punishment like this?
anonymous user
28/09/2012 19:27
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As the late Peter Cook observed long, long ago, English justice has to be seen to be believed. Seems nothing much has changed.
anonymous user
29/09/2012 03:51
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Not unlike the story of the pregnant associate who was suspended for 2 weeks for a disciplinary matter, but negotiated that it was kept secret from her colleagues & then set her maternity leave for straight afterwards. Two weeks holiday!