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Deputy Gavin St Pier's appeal against a ruling that he breached the States Code of Conduct has failed, and he faces being formally reprimanded over the matter.
The politician used Parliamentary Privilege to name Dr Sandie Bohin during a speech relating to the regulation and appraisal of medical professionals in April 2022.
Deputy St Pier had a personal interest in the matter as a close family member had been treated for a serious medical condition.
After he queried a misdiagnosis on their behalf, he said his family was subjected to a “bizarre and Kafkaesque safeguarding investigation”. Dr Bohin was the island's safeguarding lead at this time.
This was all reported in great detail at the time, with Dr Bohin saying she has experienced negative consequences as a result.
Three code of conduct complaints followed Deputy St Pier's speech, made in April 2022. They were lodged by Dr Bohin, the Medical Specialist Group, and the Guernsey and Alderney branch of the British Medical Association.
While Deputy St Pier was found to have breached the code by a panel over a year later with a formal reprimand recommended, he appealed.
He said “procedural irregularities and factual misunderstandings” were involved.
However, following that appeal process, led by the Guernsey Appeals Commissioner Martin Jelley QPM DL, it was decided Deputy St Pier did breach the Code of Conduct for States Members and that he should be formally reprimanded.
The report can be read in full HERE.
The Appeals Commissioner's report has been lodged with the States for debate, so the island's deputies can decide whether or not they agree that Deputy St Pier should be sanctioned for his comments of more than two years ago.
"Given the seriousness of the breaches, the Panel concluded a caution was not an appropriate sanction as it was geared at minor not serious breaches of the code. They settled on the more serious sanction of formal reprimand," Mr Jelley wrote in his report.
"I have again considered the breaches, the mitigating and aggravating factors, and the impact on Doctor Bohin, which I believe has been considerable.
"I have considered if a suspension is a more appropriate sanction. Having given this matter careful thought I have concluded that whilst the breaches are serious, and the impact on Doctor Bohin is undoubtedly significant, in the circumstances it would be disproportionate to increase the recommended sanction which will therefore remain at formal reprimand."
Deputy St Pier has declined to comment on the ruling ahead of the States debate on the decision - which is expected to happen later this year.
“As a courtesy to the States of Deliberation, I will not be making any public comment on this matter until my political colleagues have had an opportunity to debate the matter,” he told Express yesterday.
The Code of Conduct complaints and decision were separate to another investigation which cleared Deputy St Pier of abusing parliamentary privilege by naming the doctor in the chamber.
St Pier conduct appeal could be considered by a public standards commissioner
Three Code of Conduct complaints lodged against Deputy St Pier
St Pier remains quietly confident over code complaints
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St Pier cleared of abuse of privilege
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