No inquiry over Twitter row JP

A Shropshire magistrate who quit the bench after being reported for posting details of cases he dealt with on the Twitter social networking site will not be investigated by justice chiefs.

The Judicial Communication Office today said there were no current plans to investigate Professor Steve Molyneux as he had resigned.

News that Mr Molyneux will not face a grilling came as a poll run by the Shropshire Star resulted in 75 per cent of respondents saying he should not have quit.

The majority of comments on the paper's website were also in defence of the 54-year-old from Oakengates, Telford. Mr Molyneux, a Telford magistrate for 16 years and a former Oakengates mayor, posted on the site regularly during breaks in court proceedings.

A fellow magistrate discovered the Twitterings and complained. Mr Molyneux decided to resign after the matter was passed to the Shropshire Justices Advisory Committee. He has denied any wrongdoing and said he wrote about matters in the public domain.

A JCO spokesperson said: "Prof Stephen Molyneux was informed that a conduct panel would look into the circumstances of this case at which point he offered his resignation. Given this situation there are no current plans to continue with the investigation."

Mr Molyneux said today that there was also a flurry of messages on Twitter in support of him. He added: "If I have to sacrifice something and that will lead to a change then so be it.

"Hopefully the justice service will look into this and consider it. I would welcome being an advisor."