Jailed for 16 years
A barrister convicted of rape has been disbarred by a disciplinary tribunal.
James Boyle, who was called to the bar in 1999, was convicted of raping a girl under the age of 16, indecently assaulting a female under 16, and raping a female aged between 16 and 19.
The offences occurred between 1986 and 1988, while Boyle was serving as a police officer and before he became a criminal defence barrister.
Boyle was sentenced to 16 years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court in June 2023.
The tribunal found that the former barrister acted in a manner which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or the profession.
Boyle also failed to report promptly to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) that he had been charged and then convicted.
He was ordered to be disbarred in relation to the criminal convictions, with no further sanction for the failure to report matters to the regulator.
A BSB spokesperson said: “Serious conduct of this nature is incompatible with membership of the bar. The seriousness and impact on the public expectations of the profession is reflected in the decision of the tribunal to disbar Mr Boyle.”
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