Thread by @tribunaltweets2

We are reporting Patrick Lee's 3 day Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) Independent Disciplinary Tribunal Panel here at 9.30am.

It concerns the #FreedomOfSpeech of professionals and regulation and discipline by professional bodies.

#OpenJustice

The case concerns tweets/retweets made by Patrick Lee on the Islamic religion.

Following complaints during & after his membership, the IFoA allege he used offensive and/or discriminatory language in breach of the Integrity Principle, constituting misconduct.

#FreedomOfSpeech

Abbreviations
Institute and Faculty of Actuaries: IFoA
Disciplinary Tribunal Panel: DTP
Sharmistha Michaels (barrister, legal adviser to IFoA DTPl): SM
Rachna Gokani (Counsel for the IFoA): RG
Nicholas Leviseur (Counsel for Patrick Lee): NL

Cameron Stubbs, Stephensons LLP
(PL’s Solicitors): CS
Patrick Lee (Respondent): PL
Respondent : R
Witness statement: WS

Panel - P

Lay member of panel and Panel Chair Peter Wrench: PW or C for Chair sitting with one lay Panel member and one actuary member.

We are in the online waiting room.

The Chair introduces the Panel, Paul Rae (lay member of panel) (PR) & Simon Head FIA (Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, actuary panel member): SH

RG will advise the DTP on matters of law.
Jenny Higgins (JH) is IFoA's counsel. Karen Nichol is an IFoA representative.

The hearing clerk is Julie Wanless.

C - the hearing is being recorded. No personal recordings allowed.
Timing - lunch break - an hour between 12.30 and 1pm.

RG - case management directions - seeking a charge adjustment - refers to references in papers setting out why.
Extensive sub paragraphs etc shd be avoided. The most accurate descriptors are 1 a, 1c ,1 e . (We do not have the charges - IFoA is removing 2 elements of the charge)

C - expected by R and team and the P.
NL - expected and appropriate that charges are reviewed.
Separate matter - C is breaking up badly, and with lay colleague.
SH - not clear - but understandable.

C is leaving and logging back in.

RG - provides advice on removal of charges.

C - amends charges. Clarifies papers from IFoA
(which we don't have) 7 sets in the bundles inc statement from Ben Camp, tweets & chronology.
C's bundle has 6 sets and includes WS, note telephone conversation and a 2014 email.

Both counsel say no other docs to add.

NL - Observers have been denied permission to attend the public hearing inc Mr Lee's wife. Some concern.

C- understand a lot of people interested in attending. IFoA set a limit as an administrative matter.

C thought limit of 10 observers (decided by IFoA) was reasonable - comparable to a meeting room. Not set in stone. Reasonable practicality.
JW - none of the registered attendees have identified themselves as family members.

NL - will take instructions and will make reprsentations later, if permitted.

C - not the P or me as C making the decision. I am sure that there can be flexibility.

JW, clerk to P reads the charge.

JW: Charge as amended.
PL , a member at the time of IFoA,
1) posted tweets and RTs regarding the islamic religion using offensive inflammatory or demeaning language
2) in breach of the inetrgrity principle failing to show respect to others
3) missed.

NL - PL was a member at the time. He posted tweets/RTs admitted.

The rest (language and integrity and charge 3) not admitted.

C - IFoA must prove the outstanding matters.

RG - R was a fellow 1989-2020, and council member 2012-2020.
March-August 2020 - PL posted on twitter - Islam is morally bankrupt and fundamental eveil. Promotes terrorism, rape, slavery, wide beating, stoning and FGM

RG - R responded including saying "you are an idiot">
We say in clear breach fo integrity principle.
RG will address 4 issues

Technical issue - missed tweets on Mohammed. I will report the earlier tweets later - as will now report live again.

SG - a tweet re ignorant people trying to tweet above their level - PL says a muslim.

Tweet 29 on page 50 of twitter bundle - Dubai next Manhattan - PL inserts self comparing prophet Mohammed (M) to Isis - according to a hadith, very similar way (of behaviour)

SG - tweeter says hadith is rejected in biography of M. PL reply (missed)
Another innocuous tweet and PL inserts himself in a demaning and offensive way.

SG _ Return to rape, child marriage,s toning, slavery - do you still like Islam? This hadith and many others - M behaves just like ISIS.

SG - in response to a Tesco halal food advert, PL you seem comfortable with M behvaing just like ISIS (missed)
No reply from Tesco news - M encouraged child slavery, rape etc. From today I boycott Tesco.

SG - how would people from diverse background who needed an actuary, have confidence in the profession, seeing views stated this way?

SG - continues with child marriage, rape, torture, maiming, misogyny, blinding. It really is a con trick of the highest order. Muslim Council of Britain and other orgs tagged. Also Dowing St and Pritti Patel

SG _ missed tweet.
Tweet 34 - in response to someone saying groomers not devout muslims, a cultural thing.
PL said No M did exactly this sort of thing (rape, child marriage)
You'll note "Free Speech actuary"

SG _ PL said M behaved just like ISIS ... this 1,300 year contrick is unravelling.

tweet 38 - PL's intervention to innocuous tweet

SG - what is PL's response intended to do - sorry unless you regard Eid as purely cultural

user response - FGM has nothing to do with islam - what a nasty response to my holiday. feel free to unfollow.

SG - PL - FGM happens in muslim countries.

User says don't teach us abt our religion. leave us to our holiday.
missed.

SG - this is PL seeking our people who want nothing to do with the debate or him.

missed - PL says almost anyone is a feminist - Islam is a cult.
He's moved from a con trick to a cult.

He responds to someone You are an idiot,

SG - Tweet 40 - according a hadith, M approved of FGM if cutting not severe - refence the hadith.
PL - charge against M is that he had people tortured tio death, hands and feet cut off, blinded.
Why wouldn't a moderate orgn condemn M?

Tweets 42-47 - on page 70.
missed.
Identification of self as Free speech actuary.
Now stating islam is a dangerous cult, just like ISIS. Zero moral legitimacy.

SG - PL Islam puts forward M (missed) was a slaver and raped the female ones. Hashtag BLM agsinst Islam.
missed.
according to own text, he is amonster who raped his own slaves.

SG - Missed.
Prophet M described as less than a filthy animal.
PL tweeted animals don't behave as badly as M and Isis did.
SG - less than a filthy animal.

SG - tweet 50 _ M must fall. He was a slaver. Slavery still exists in islamic countries.

C - interrupts for a short break. Reporting will resume at midday - on a new thread.

We had a techical difficulty earlier. We will post SG's earlier evidence in a separate thread at lunchtime.