We, the undersigned, demand the immediate removal of Her Honour Judge Joanna Greenberg KC from the Bench. Her judicial decisions have repeatedly undermined public trust in the legal system, violated the rights of vulnerable individuals, and placed lives at risk.

This is not an isolated incident—it is part of a concerning pattern of judicial conduct that is incompatible with the principles of fairness, impartiality, and modern justice.

1. She blamed a 16-year-old rape victim

In 2015, Judge Greenberg presided over the Stuart Kerner case, in which a 44-year-old teacher raped a 16-year-old student in a school storeroom. During sentencing, she stated that if “grooming” were the right word, “it was she who groomed you”. She portrayed the adult abuser as emotionally fragile because his wife had miscarried that day. These comments were widely condemned and reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of sexual abuse and victimhood.

Source:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/14/former-london-teacher-convicted-over-affair-with-teenager

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30824569

2. She endangered public health during the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, during the second national lockdown, Judge Greenberg ordered a woman with COVID-19 symptoms to appear in person at court. The incident forced a deep clean of the premises at a cost of £250,000 to taxpayers and put court staff at risk. It was branded “absolutely disgraceful” by those present.

Source:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/outcry-judge-defendant-covid-symptoms-court-b72229.html

3. She denied bail to a terminally ill woman

In 2024, Judge Greenberg denied the fourth bail application of Farah, a 58-year-old woman with aggressive stage 3 breast cancer, even after the court acknowledged she would not receive optimal treatment while in custody. Medical experts confirmed that her life expectancy would be significantly shortened without access to chemotherapy. Despite posing no risk to the public, Farah was remanded.

Source:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-remand-fears-cancer-death-33685980

4. She dismissed expert mental health evidence

Farah was diagnosed by a respected forensic psychiatrist with Complex PTSD, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and Depression. The judge dismissed the diagnosis as “self-reported,” even though it was corroborated with over 300 pages of evidence from multiple medical professionals and psychological assessments. This disregard for evidence contradicts sentencing guidelines and undermines the importance of trauma-informed justice.

According to government data:

• Over 57% of women in the criminal justice system are domestic abuse survivors
• Over 80% have two or more diagnosed mental health conditions

Farah is one of them. She was abused, ghosted, and gaslit by her ex-partner, whose two former partners have also confirmed his violent and controlling behaviour. Still, Judge Greenberg appears to have taken his side from the beginning.

5. She extended custody unlawfully

In Farah’s case, the Judge extended custody time limits for five additional months even though the Prosecution was not ready after eight months and had failed to act with due diligence. The Defence had just four days to review 7,500 pages of telecommunications data. This decision is currently under review by the High Court on 28 January 2025.

Why this matters

Judges must protect the rights of the most vulnerable, not expose them to harm. They must understand the impact of trauma, abuse, and mental illness—and be held accountable when they fail to do so.

Her Honour Judge Joanna Greenberg KC has shown:

A disregard for women’s and children’s safety
Repeated failures to consider expert medical and psychological evidence
Incompetence in managing fair and lawful trials
A lack of awareness of modern trauma-informed judicial practice.

We call on the Lord Chancellor, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, and the Ministry of Justice to:

Immediately remove HHJ Joanna Greenberg KC from judicial office.

Justice should not traumatize.

Judges must be accountable.

Now is the time to act