A barrister who wrote a book on sleepwalking has been hauled before a disciplinary tribunal after falling asleep during a coroner’s inquest. The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has accused Ramya Nagesh, a member of commercial chambers 4-5 Grays Inn Square, of professional misconduct after she “dozed off” during a virtual hearing and missed her client giving evidence. The barrister was appearing remotely on behalf of a nurse witness in a coroner’s inquest in Pontypridd County Court, Wales, in December 2022. Ms Nagesh attended the trial virtually from her hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express in Stockport, where she was taking part in a separate six week inquest. The tribunal heard that Ms Nagesh fell asleep shortly after she began eating a baked potato during the inquest’s 45-minute lunch break. The barrister woke up and returned to the inquest nearly 15 minutes late despite the coroner repeating three times that the case would adjourn at 1.30pm. The BSB accused the barrister of failing to provide an adequate explanation or apology for her late appearance. David Welch, the watchdog’s lawyer, said: “That would undermine the public’s trust and confidence if you can’t even get that right.” Ms Nagesh, whose camera was turned...