A top QC who said he would “shag” the head of a rape charity “just to have something over her” has been given a written ticking off by Scotland’s legal watchdog.
The criticism was the only penalty imposed on Brian McConnachie after he sent a series of improper messages, including a sexually explicit photograph of himself from the toilets of a high court building minutes after defending a rape accused.
The Faculty of Advocates’ complaints committee said McConnachie had already experienced “considerable embarrassment” through
the scandal and “suffered professionally and personally”.
McConnachie’s messages were shared by a whistleblower.
In October 2020, McConnachie sent a text claiming another QC had said he wanted to have sex with Brindley.
The committee split this complaint into two parts and referred to the other QC – “a high-profile criminal advocate” – as Mr A.
In one text, McConnachie wrote Mr A had “once said to me he’d shag Sandy Brindley”.
He added in a second text: “I might shag her, just to have something over her, but I wouldn’t enjoy it.”
The Faculty did not reprimand McConnachie for the second message but ruled the first text was found to be unsatisfactory professional conduct because it believed he was showing “disloyalty” to another advocate.
He was given a “severe” written criticism as the committee felt that if the message was made public, Brindley “may well find it highly offensive, bringing the Faculty into disrepute”.
It added “professional harm” could also be done to Mr A. Rape Crisis Scotland said the outcome was “unacceptable”.
A spokeswoman added: “Mr McConnachie’s comments were indeed highly offensive, demeaning and sexist.
“It is unacceptable that there has been no acknowledgement by the Faculty of the deplorable sexist and misogynistic nature of Mr McConnachie’s comments and how they reflect troubling attitudes towards women.”
McConnachie also sent a sexually explicit photograph to a woman, declaring he was in an aroused state in the toilets of the High Court in Livingston.
The committee dismissed the complaint as the picture was sent one minute after the court day usually ended and it couldn’t be proven he was still engaged by a client.
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