Jo Sidhu

Disbarred British criminal law barrister

Navjot Sidhu

Navjot Sidhu

Navjot Sidhu speaking at an event in parliament 2018

Born|

London, England

Nationality| British
Alma mater| London School of Economics
University of Oxford
Occupation| Barrister
Years active| 1993–present

Navjot Sidhu (Punjabi: ਜੋ ਸਿਧੁ) is a disbarred British criminal law barrister, and King's Counsel.[1][2]

## Career

[edit]

Sidhu had worked as a criminal law barrister since 1993.[3]

He is a past chairman of the Criminal Bar Association.[4] He was the chairperson for the Society of Asian lawyers, the biggest BAME lawyers' society in the UK representing over 3,000 members[5] and since 2001 he has been the Vice chair of the Equality & Diversity Committee of the Bar Council.[6]

In 2012, Sidhu was appointed Queen's Counsel a rank awarded to about 8% of practising barristers.[7] He is one of about 100 BAME QCs in Britain of whom few have Punjabi origin.[8][9]

Sidhu specialised in serious crime, typically terrorism, homicides and conspiracies involving frauds, robberies and drug trafficking.[10] He was a target of death threats and online harassment lasting 12 months in 2015. After police were unable to provide assistance due to a lack of resources, Sidhu hired a forensic computer expert to track the cyber-criminal behind the smear campaign, who was then jailed for five years.[11]

Sidhu has said that the government must do more to tackle cyber threats of this nature.[12][13]

In July 2024, Sidhu relinquished his practising certificate and is no longer a practising barrister in England and Wales.[14]

In December 2024, a disciplinary panel upheld as proven three charges of professional misconduct by Sidhu for inappropriately initiated sexual contact with a female paralegal.[15] Of the three proven allegations, the Bar Standard Board tribunal found that Sidhu invited a woman in her 20s to his hotel room while she was on a mini-pupillage (work experience) with him, then asked her to stay the night, changed into his pyjamas and created a pillow “barricade” on the bed. This was despite her protests that she wanted to leave the room or sleep on the sofa, she stated in her evidence. In reaching its decision, the tribunal noted that the misconduct occurred in a professional setting and was directed at a person in a vulnerable position; and the tribunal found that the misconduct was deliberate, sexual in nature and involved elements of planning by Sidhu.[16] The panel ordered that a certificate to practice should be withheld until the sanctions hearing.[17] He was disbarred in March 2025.[1]

In June 2025, multiple women spoke out about Sidhu's alleged conduct towards them. They described his conduct as "predatory".[18]

## Awards and recognition

[edit]

In 2016, Sidhu was awarded the UK's Asian Professional of the Year Award 2016.[19] In 2025, he was disbarred for sexual misconduct.[20]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Former Criminal Bar Association chair disbarred over sexual misconduct". The Guardian. P. A. Media. 19 March 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
2. ^ "06368-24 Sidhu v The Times". IPSO.
3. ^ "Jo Sidhu QC | Counsel for Leadership". www.counselforleadership.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
4. ^ "Former CBA Chairs". Criminal Bar Association. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
5. ^ "British Punjabis 9th August 2014 (p. 13)". British Punjabi Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
6. ^ "The Legal 500 > 25 Bedford Row (Chambers of Paul Mendelle QC, George Carter-Stephenson QC and Je) > London, ENGLAND > Lawyer profiles > Jo Sidhu QC". www.legal500.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
7. ^ Gates, James (12 March 2012). "Ealing barrister attains highest of legal honours". getwestlondon. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
8. ^ "Queen's Counsel statistics - Bar Standards Board". www.barstandardsboard.org.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
9. ^ Gates, James (12 March 2012). "Ealing barrister attains highest of legal honours". My London.
10. ^ "Fraudster jailed for stalking barrister". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
11. ^ "Barrister hit with death threats in revenge for his war on corruption". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
12. ^ "This is why the government must do more to tackle cyber threats". Metro. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
13. ^ "Law should protect, not curtail, freedom of speech". Law Society Gazette. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
14. ^ Moloney, Charlie (9 July 2024). "Criminal bar firebrand Sidhu stops practising". Law Gazette.
15. ^ Castro, Bianca (9 December 2024). "Breaking: Sidhu - three charges proved". Law Gazette. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
16. ^ "Top barrister Jo Sidhu disbarred over inappropriate sexual behaviour". Legal Cheek. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
17. ^ Siddique, Haroon (9 December 2024). "Former chair of Criminal Bar Association found to have 'inappropriately initiated sexual contact' with aspiring lawyer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
18. ^ https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/women-speak-out-over-jo-sidhus-predatory-behaviour-7p3jhp89j
19. ^ ABPL. "2016". www.abplgroup.com. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
20. ^ https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/mar/19/barrister-jo-sidhu-kc-disbarred-tribunal-sanctions