Constance Briscoe facts for kids

Constance Briscoe (born 18 May 1957 in England) is a former barrister, which is a type of lawyer who represents people in court. She was one of the first black female part-time judges in England and Wales. In May 2014, she was found guilty of misleading the police in a legal case. Because of this, she was no longer allowed to be a barrister or a judge.

Her Journey in Law

Studying and Starting Out

Constance Briscoe studied Law at Newcastle University. She worked several part-time jobs, including in a hospice, to pay for her studies. She also earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of Warwick.

In 1983, she became a barrister. She trained with a famous lawyer named Michael Mansfield. After her training, she joined a group of barristers called chambers.

Becoming a Judge

In 1996, Constance Briscoe became an assistant recorder. This meant she worked as a part-time judge. She mainly worked on criminal cases and cases involving fraud (which is like cheating someone out of money). She also worked on other legal matters, like public investigations.

A room at the Newcastle University Students' Union building was once named after her. However, it was later renamed after she was found guilty in court. In 2007, she tried to become a QC, which is a very senior lawyer, but she was not successful.

Changes in Her Legal Career

In October 2012, Constance Briscoe was suspended from her role as a judge. This happened after the police arrested and questioned her.

On 6 August 2014, she was officially removed from her position as a judge. The University of Wolverhampton had given her an honorary law degree in 2011, but they took it back in August 2014.

On 15 April 2016, Constance Briscoe was no longer allowed to work as a barrister. This decision was made because she had acted dishonestly and in a way that harmed the legal profession.

Her Personal Story

Family Background

Constance Briscoe's parents moved to the United Kingdom from Jamaica in the 1950s. Her mother, Carmen, had seven children, including Constance. Constance attended Sacred Heart Catholic School, Camberwell.

Writing Books

Constance Briscoe is known for her books, Ugly (2006) and Beyond Ugly (2008). These books share her experiences growing up and the challenges she faced in her childhood. She often spoke publicly about her life story.

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

Important Events

What Happened

On 6 October 2012, Constance Briscoe was arrested by the police. This was part of a police investigation. At that time, the reasons for her arrest were not made public. She was suspended from her judge role while the investigation continued.

In February 2013, during a court case involving Vicky Pryce, police said that Constance Briscoe's arrest was related to her giving information to the press. Vicky Pryce was a friend and neighbor of Briscoe.

Prosecutors stated that Briscoe and Pryce had worked together to give false information to a journalist. They claimed that someone else had taken driving points for a politician named Chris Huhne.

The Outcome

On 12 June 2013, it was announced that Constance Briscoe would be charged with two counts of misleading the police. The charges said she gave police two untrue statements and changed a copy of her witness statement.

On 1 May 2014, she was found guilty at the Old Bailey court. She was found guilty of three charges of trying to mislead the police. This included lying to the police, changing a witness statement, and giving a false document to an expert. On 2 May 2014, she was sent to prison for 16 months. She started her sentence at HM Prison Holloway.

Constance Briscoe was released from prison early in November 2014.