Constance Briscoe facts for kids

Constance Briscoe (born 18 May 1957 in England) is a British former barrister, which is a type of lawyer. She was also one of the first black female judges, known as a 'recorder', in England and Wales. Later in her career, she was removed from her judge role and was no longer allowed to practice as a barrister.

Becoming a Lawyer and Judge

Early Education and Studies

Constance Briscoe studied Law at Newcastle University. She earned her degree while working several part-time jobs, including at a hospice. She later continued her studies and earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of Warwick.

Starting Her Legal Career

In 1983, Constance Briscoe was "called to the bar." This means she officially became a qualified barrister. She trained with a well-known lawyer named Michael Mansfield. After her training, she joined a group of barristers.

Working as a Judge

In 1996, she became an assistant recorder. This is a part-time judge role. She mainly worked in criminal law, often defending people accused of crimes. She also worked on public inquiries and other legal cases. A room at the Newcastle University Students' Union building was once named after her.

Changes in Her Legal Career

In 2007, she tried to become a QC, which is a very senior lawyer, but she was not successful. In October 2012, she was suspended from her judge duties. This meant she could not work as a judge while police investigated some matters.

In August 2014, Constance Briscoe was officially removed from her role as a judge. The University of Wolverhampton, which had given her an honorary law degree in 2011, also took back this degree. In April 2016, she was no longer allowed to be a barrister. This is called being "disbarred." This decision was made because of her conduct, which was seen as dishonest and damaging to the legal profession.

About Her Life

Family Background

Constance Briscoe's parents moved to the United Kingdom from Jamaica in the 1950s. She was one of her mother's seven children with her father. She attended Sacred Heart Catholic School, Camberwell.

Her Books

Constance Briscoe is known for writing two books: Ugly (published in 2006) and Beyond Ugly (published in 2008). In these books, she shared her personal experiences from childhood. She also had cosmetic surgery when she was at university. She often spoke publicly about her life story.

Her mother, Carmen Briscoe-Mitchell, disagreed with the claims in the books. She sued her daughter and the publishers for libel, which means making false statements that harm someone's reputation. However, a jury in the High Court decided that Constance Briscoe's claims were largely true.

Family Life

Constance Briscoe has two children. She had them with a lawyer named Adam Wilson. She also had a long relationship with another barrister, Anthony Arlidge, which ended in 2010.

Legal Challenges

Investigation and Outcome

In October 2012, Constance Briscoe was arrested as part of a police investigation. She was suspended from her judge role while the investigation continued. In February 2013, during a trial involving her friend and neighbor Vicky Pryce, police stated that they could not rely on Briscoe as a truthful witness.

In June 2013, it was announced that she would be charged with trying to mislead the police. This included providing inaccurate statements and changing a witness statement. In May 2014, she was found guilty of these charges. She was sentenced to 16 months in prison and began her sentence at HM Prison Holloway. She was released early from prison in November 2014.