A LAWYER who attacked a taxi driver while drunk has been suspended from practising for three months for “bringing the profession into disrepute”.
Advocate David Steenson, who regularly represents defendants in the Royal Court, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on 17 December, pleading guilty to a common assault which was committed on the evening of 13 November.
He was sentenced to 130 hours of community service for the offence and ordered to pay £2,420.
Steenson (56) repeatedly punched the driver in a dispute over payment and left him with multiple cuts and bruises to his face.
The driver suffered no permanent physical injuries but was left “afraid to carry out his daily job”, the court heard, and was “nervous about the passengers he carries”.
Steenson was described as a “highly regarded” lawyer who had “seriously screwed up” by his defence advocate who said he would “inevitably” face sanction by the Jersey Law Society.
The Royal Court decided yesterday to suspend Steenson for three months for breaching principle two of the Jersey Law Society’s Code of Conduct, “bringing the profession into disrepute”, after his case was referred to the court by the Attorney General.
The suspension was backdated to 14 November, when the advocate voluntarily withdrew from practice, meaning Steenson would be able to resume practising on 14 February.
A written judgment setting out the court’s reasoning will be published “in due course”.
The Law Society said it would be making no further comment.
