ARB says matter ’will be treated as a concern about someone on our register’ ahead of deciding if it falls within the regulator’s remit
Simone de Gale has been convicted of physically assaulting a flight attendant and magistrates have issued a warrant for her arrest for failure to appear in court.
The registered architect and founder of Simone de Gale Architects was arrested at Heathrow Airport on 5 February this year after verbally and physically assaulting cabin crew member Sarah Buckland during a flight from Dubai to London.
De Gale, who is based in Dubai and has an office in Belgravia, did not attend her trial at Ealing Magistrates Court in London on Thursday last week.
She has also held a number of senior elected positions at the RIBA including as a national council member, according to official RIBA documents.
The ARB has said it is treating De Gale’s convictions as a “concern” and is currently assessing whether the matter falls within its remit as a regulator.
De Gale was found guilty of four offences including behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a member of aircraft crew and being drunk in an aircraft.
She was also convicted of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and assault by beating.
The ARB said: “This issue will be treated as a concern about someone on our register and we will first assess the concerns raised to determine whether it is a matter which we can investigate.
“If the concern falls within our remit, we will raise an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct and/or serious professional incompetence, before referring the matter to our Investigations Panel.
“As with all investigations, we are committed to protecting the confidentiality and reputation of both sides. We will only make the complaint public if it reaches a PCC hearing.”
Buckland, the flight attendant, told Ealing Magistrates Court yesterday that the incident had left her very shaken.
RIBA declined to comment. Simone de Gale Architects has been contacted for comment.
