MAGISTRATE Austin Molloy is set for a face to face showdown with court officials to discuss his future today.

The JP, who was 'relieved of his duties' as chairman of the bench after he branded two teens who desecrated Blackburn Cathedral 'absolute scum', will attend an 'informal meeting' at 10am.

But he said he was willing to walk out and take legal advice if unhappy with proceedings.

The 57-year-old from Darwen will discuss long-standing court clerk Christine Dean's decision to question his 'inappropriate language' with court figures including deputy clerk to the justices Peter Wells and deputy chairman of the magistrates Michael Emery.

Mr Molloy said: “I said 'will this meeting be informal?' and they said 'yes, but we will be taking minutes'.

“So I said 'in that case I will wait to see what you say, but I may decide to leave and take advice myself'.

“Their attitude will decide which way I decide to go.”

Earlier this week the father of one of the boys said he backed Mr Molloy's comments '100 per cent'.

Former Justice Minister and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said he believed the bench at Blackburn Magistrates' Court had no power to decide Mr Molloy's future.

He said: “As Lord Chancellor I dealt with judicial discipline. The way it works, decisions are made jointly by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and the Lord Chancellor of the day.

“There are 28,000 magistrates compared to many fewer full time judges, so the bulk of the cases we dealt with involved magistrates.

“Mr Molloy's future is not a matter for the local bench, but it is a matter for the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice and he has a right to go before a review body.

“My strong advice is that he exercises fully his right. The local bench can make no decision about his future whatsoever.”

He said he found the court's initial decision 'surprising'.

He said: “My experience is it is usually the case where you have got a matter like this that the magistrate will continue sitting while a complaint is dealt with, unless the magistrate has clearly behaved inappropriately.

“This is not in my experience in that category.”