John Robert Carr Altham, known asRobert Altham, is an English judge who became notable when he sentenced threeanti-fracking protestors to prison on 26 September 2018. This was the first time environmental activists had received jail sentences for protesting in the UK since 1932 when themass trespass of Kinder Scout was organised in thePeak District.[1] The protesters appealed against the sentence after it came to light that Altham had family ties to theoil industry.[2]
Altham is acircuit judge in theCrown Court inPreston Crown Court.[3] He is a descendant ofJames Altham, himself a judge who presided over theLancashire witch trials. Altham was born inMorecambe and attended Sandylands Primary School, Morecambe andLancaster Royal Grammar School before studying Latin and Greek atUniversity College London. He then gained his law qualifications atBirmingham University and theInns of Court School of Law. He wascalled to the Bar atGray's Inn in 1993 and went on to join the chambers of David Steer QC inLiverpool. In 2008 he became aRecorder.[4]
Gordon Marsden, the MP forBlackpool South contacted theAttorney General,Geoffrey Cox to raise questions about Altham's handling of the 2018 fracking protest case, asking whether would "undertake an investigation into compliance with the Judicial Code of Conduct in relation to the trial".[5]
At an appeal hearing held on 17 OctoberLord Burnett,Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales ruled that an "immediate custodial sentence in the case of these appellants was manifestly excessive". After saying that acommunity order imposing on them unpaid work would have been appropriate. However, as they had spent six weeks in prison he reduced the sentence to aconditional discharge.[6]
Judicial Conduct Investigations Office spokesperson indicated they had received a complaint concerning Judge Robert Altham, which "will be considered in accordance with the Judicial Conduct Rules 2014". However, during the hearing Lord Burnett remarked that there was "no evidence" that the judge had any financial interest in fracking.[6]
Judge Altham was installed as Honorary Recorder of Preston on 23 September 2021, a post dating back to 1685.[7]