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If you ever find yourself in a courtroom, in front of a judge, I highly recommend acting respectfully towards the judge. What I definitely wouldn’t do is respond to a judge’s introductory comments with “Who the fuck do you think you are speaking to me like that?”
But that was exactly what U.K. man, Dave Duggan, did. And, as reported by Roll on Friday, he wasn’t done being disrespectful towards the judge:
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He repeatedly interrupted and talked over the judge, and when she asked, “Will you focus for one minute on what I am saying?”, replied, “No. You listen to me, what I’m saying for one minute, mate”.
The judge put him on mute so she could give her case directions uninterrupted, but when she unsilenced Duggan he said, “Get fucked…I’m done with this me, mate”.
Duggan told the hearing that he had been recording proceedings and was going to put it “in public”. When District Judge Keating warned him that doing so would be a contempt of court, Duggan replied, “Mate, I’m not bothered what you say”.
In Duggan’s contempt hearing, he took a different tack, saying he was “disgusted” by his behavior and sending an apology to Judge Keating.
In an apology he emailed to DJ Keating, Duggan vowed to do better and expressed his hope that “when I return to Durham family court, it is you whom is the judge so I can show and prove this to you”.
Duggan said he had mental health issues and remarked that a number of charities had let him down. “I’m sorry for swearing but this is how I am. I can’t help how I am”, he said, adding, “if I could I wouldn’t even be speaking like this? I’d be speaking nicely”.
For each of the four contempt charges, Duggan was sentenced to 14 days in jail. However, in light of his remorse and mental health issues, he received a suspended sentence. It does pay to acknowledge when you’re clearly in the wrong.
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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).