A FORMER Maidstone Crown Court judge, David Griffiths, has died following a short illness. He was 73.

He suffered a brain hemorrhage in Carmarthen, South Wales, where he had retired with his wife Anita in 2000.

Tributes were paid to the popular, down-to-earth judge at both Maidstone and Canterbury Crown Courts.

Judge Griffiths became a solicitor in 1957 and practised for many years in South London. He was appointed a Recorder in 1980. He was promoted to a circuit judge in 1984 and a year later followed the late Felix Waley as the resident judge at Maidstone.

Judge Michael Neligan said at Maidstone Crown Court that Judge Griffiths, who had lived on the edge of Hemsted Forest, near Biddenden, was firm and ran his court with good humour and despatch.

“David did not need the honorifics or titles of the position he held,” he said. “His personality and manners spoke for themselves. He swiftly impressed everyone - bench, Bar, court staff and even those who, I suppose, we must now call customers - with his qualities as a judge.

“He was the epitome of a good first instance judge. He was fair-minded. He always did what he thought to be right without fear, partiality, affection or ill will.

“If what he did attracted adverse comment, he shouldered criticism, ill-informed as it was, uncomplaining. Over the years that he discharged the duties of resident judge, he was the model of what a resident judge should be."

At Canterbury Crown Court, Judge Anthony Webb said of the father-of-four: “He was a truly lovely man, a man of the highest integrity. Courteous and generous in spirit, never pompous or condescending. He never forgot his roots."

Judge Michael O’Sullivan, a personal friend of Judge Griffiths, recounted tales of trips to international rugby matches. On one rare occasion, he said, when Wales beat Ireland, the male voice choir enthusiast led the celebratory singing.

Fiona Moore-Graham said on behalf of the Kent Bar that Judge Griffiths was a great charitable worker. He recently became known as “the meals-on-wheels judge” in Carmarthen as he delivered dinners to the elderly in his village.

“Being the sort of man he was, he took great pleasure in that,” she said. “He joined the Rotary Club and Rugby Club.”

Miss Moore-Graham said Judge Griffiths and Judge O’Sullivan went on many jaunts to international rugby matches “missing many flights because of a sup or two taken at the appropriate time”.

The barrister also recalled how, on one occasion, Judge Griffiths rode his horse to a pub and was unable to get back on when he left. His wife, she said, came to the rescue.