Deputy's code of conduct appeal not upheld

The complaint dates back to a speech Deputy Gavin St Pier made in April 2022

A Guernsey deputy has lost his appeal against a finding that he broke the States code of conduct.

In a speech in the States chamber in 2022, Deputy Gavin St Pier named Dr Sandie Bohin as one of the clinicians involved in an investigation into safeguarding concerns.

The investigation found no wrongdoing and last year an independent code of conduct panel found Mr St Pier should be formally reprimanded.

The panel considering the complaint found some of Mr St Pier's statements were "seriously and fundamentally misleading". Mr St Pier said he was unable to comment.

He said: "Under the rules governing complaints under the code of conduct, the complainant and the deputy concerned are prohibited from commenting publicly until the process is complete.

"Therefore I must continue to respect those rules and cannot comment until the reports are published in full in due course."

The report into the matter is due to be considered by the States Assembly and Constitution Committee at its next meeting on 28 August.

It will then be published and debated by States members at the October meeting, where it could be amended.

The three complaints made against Mr St Pier were made by the British Medical Association (BMA), the Medical Specialist Group and Dr Bohin.

'Extremely concerned'

Dr Bohin said she was "relieved" by the verdict, while the BMA said it was "delighted" the appeal had not been upheld.

Guernsey BMA spokesman Dr Matt Dorrian said: "We await the action of the States going forward.

"It was a subject which really animated the profession.

"The BMA was very concerned when this happened and felt the medical profession unanimously was extremely concerned about the implications of naming someone in our parliament on the ability of that person to practice locally."

'Frustrating' process

The complaint from the BMA surrounded the naming of Dr Bohin in the States chamber, stating it was "unnecessary, undermined people working in safeguarding in Guernsey, and led to Dr Bohin's successor as Named Doctor for Safeguarding resigning".

One of the focuses of the code of conduct panel's investigation was whether the statements made by Mr St Pier about the care of his daughter and the involvement of Dr Bohin were true.

The panel found Mr St Pier's statements about his daughter's treatment were "seriously and fundamentally misleading".

Last year Mr St Pier was cleared of an abuse of parliamentary privilege, a process he described as "frustrating".

However, an independent code of conduct panel recommended Mr St Pier should be formally reprimanded.