Top barrister loses law license after boyfriend’s chemsex drug death
A top London barrister has surrendered his law license – after he was convicted on drugs charges following the death of his boyfriend.
18-year-old Miguel Jimenez died of an overdose in January last year at a party in Temple.
His boyfriend, 34-year-old civil barrister Henry Hendron, has represented a number of prominent clients, including UKIP’s Suzanne Evans, Conservative MP Nadine Dorries and Apprentice winner Stella English.
Hendron had been facing a number of charges in relation to the death, but admitted two counts of relating to possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
This week he was sentenced to 140 hours of community service with an 18 month supervision order. He was also ordered to pay £500 costs.
Hendron today confirmed that he would surrender his law license, as he would have been struck off following the case.
He said: “I can confirm I have today written to the Bar Council to surrender my practicing certificate and resign my membership accordingly, and that I will no longer be practicing as a barrister.”
“I am deeply grateful for the support of my friends, my family but above all else, the love, understanding and support offered to me over the past 15 months by those who have lost the most – Miguel’s family.
“Their letter to the Judge on my behalf, and their presence at court today, have demonstrated that at the worst of times it is the best of human nature which often stands out.
“It is testament to their humanity that in losing Miguel, I have not lost them as well.
“Miguel’s death is something I will always blame myself for.
“It was tragic and unintended, but with hindsight, all too foreseeable.
“It has profoundly affected my life and the life of both mine and Miguel’s family.”
He added: “I want my experiences to be a profound warning that above all else, drug use is an act of deep selfishness.
“Because whilst the ‘highs’ are something the user alone enjoys, the misery which drug abuse causes is shared far and wide, and inflicted mostly upon the user’s friends, family and loved-ones.
“Miguel’s life was lost and my life ruined because of choices we made together, choices which I should have resisted, but did not.
“I hope others learn from our mistakes and that society finds a way to tackle the current drugs epidemic which is causing havoc in the gay community – a silent, unseen, secret killer.”
