UK Lawyer to Face Tribunal Over Alleged Touching, KKK Comment
The lawyer is alleged to have put an A4 envelope on his head and made a reference to the Ku Klux Klan.
July 28, 2020 at 04:55 AM
3 minute read
UK industry watchdog, the Solicitors Regulation Authority
A lawyer has been referred to the U.K.'s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) after being accused of inappropriate touching and of making a Ku Klux Klan comment.
Samuel Charkham was investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after several allegations were made about his behaviour while he was a lawyer at media specialist firm Simkins.
In a prosecution filing published 16 July, the SRA said that Charkham was accused of having told "a joke containing a racially abusive term" on or about December 2016 while at a social event organised by the firm; having touched Person A's "bottom on more than one occasion" between 2014 and 2017; and having "touched Person B's backside" on 22 February 2018.
He was also accused of having acted towards Person A "in a manner which was inappropriate and/or unwanted in that he moved towards Person A wearing a white A4 envelope on his head and used words to the effect of "I've joined the Ku Klux Klan"' on or about 13 January 2017, while in the firm's office.
Charkham is currently at fellow media boutique Portner Law, according to the SRA filing. According to Portner Law's website, he is a consultant in its property department.
The matter was referred by the SRA to the SDT in November 2019, according to the filing.
In a statement, Simkins said Charkham left the firm more than two years ago and that it would be inappropriate for the firm to comment given the ongoing nature of proceedings. But it then added: "Simkins is committed to promoting a working environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect and in which all can thrive regardless of their background or personal circumstances. We take any allegation of discrimination or inappropriate behaviour seriously and will promptly investigate any such allegation and then take the appropriate action."
Portner did not respond to requests for comment.
The allegations are subject to a hearing before the SDT and are as yet unproven.
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