‘Toxic’ barrister suspended for saying judge was talking ‘absolute rubbish’

On one occasion she told the judge ‘don’t try to make me sound like an idiot’

The barrister has been suspended for four months and fined £2,000 (PA)

A barrister has been suspended and fined after she told a judge she was speaking “absolute rubbish.”

Jacqueline Vallejo, 50, was “rude and unprofessional” to the female judge during a crown court trial, a disciplinary hearing was told, also telling her “don’t try to make me sound like an idiot”.

A Bar Tribunal hearing ruled this week that Ms Vallejo made several “disrespectful” comments in front of jurors, as well as being “unduly” argumentative by talking over her and interrupting her.

When Ms Vallejo was warned about her conduct, she told the hearing: “If your Honour wants to do anything about me and my conduct that’s fine. I’d rather you do it sooner rather than later, though.”

The tribunal made its ruling after listening to audio recordings of a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London over several days in February and March 2016.

Ms Vallejo was told she failed to observe her duty to the court (PA Archive)

The judgment highlighted one instance where Ms Vallejo described the judge’s summary of evidence for the jury as “absolute rubbish”.

Ms Vallego, who was called to the Bar in 1997, was one of the specialists who worked on the “Salsa Spy” case, where an army translator and salsa dance teacher who worked for the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan was found guilty of spying for Iran in 2008.

The issue first started when the criminal barrister of Garden Court Chambers who was called to the bar in 1997 refused to engage with prosecution, the committee was told, while on another occasion Ms Vallejo used an “unhelpful tone” when she answered the judge by saying: “I cannot force my client to provide a defence statement. What part of that does your Honour not understand?”

Ms Vallejo would also undermine the judge by calling her the “Learned Judge” – instead of “your Honour” – making a joke that the judge was acting like a barrister as counsel will often call one other “Learned Friend”, the panel heard.

The panel heard that when the judge asked for clarification about a witness’ evidence on another occasion Ms Vallejo retorted in front of the jury: “Well if your Honour wants to conduct the cross-examination I’ll sit down.”

Additionally, when the judge told her to sit down, she rebuked that it was the “fifth time your Honour has asked me to sit down”, and then told the judge that she didn’t need to be asked to sit.

Ms Vallejo must pay the £2,000 in the next year after the panel concluded: “[She] failed to observe her duty to the court in the administration of justice in that she behaved in a rude and unprofessional manner.”