An assistant coroner serving in the Midlands has been formally disciplined after admitting to a drink-driving offence.
Formal Warning Issued by Senior Judges
Hannah Mettam, a qualified barrister who sits as an assistant coroner for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, was given a formal misconduct warning by the Lady Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor. The sanction follows her conviction for driving while over the legal alcohol limit.
The conviction, which resulted in a community order and a three-year driving ban, was made public in a notice from the Judicial Conduct Investigation Office (JCIO) on Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
Self-Reporting and Mitigating Circumstances
According to the JCIO notice, Ms Mettam promptly reported her own conviction to the judicial conduct body. She accepted that she had driven while under the influence of alcohol and was over the limit.
In her explanation, Mettam cited 'difficult personal circumstances' she was experiencing at the time of the offence. The JCIO acknowledged her self-reporting, her acceptance of full responsibility, her engagement with support services, and her otherwise unblemished conduct record.
The judicial conduct body stated: "The Guide to Judicial Conduct states that judicial office-holders are expected to show ‘respect for the law and observance of the law’ and they should avoid situations which might reasonably reduce respect for judicial office."
Private Proceedings and Professional Role
Judicial conduct proceedings are held in private, with the JCIO's public notice providing the only official details. The body did not disclose the specific severity of the drink-driving incident or further details of the mitigation presented.
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr and Lord Chancellor David Lammy jointly agreed on the sanction of a formal warning. Hannah Mettam, an expert barrister in family law cases involving children, was appointed to her role as assistant coroner in February 2023.
