Former law chief Jo Sidhu faces sexual harassment allegations

The claims, involving at least four women, have been brought before the Bar Standards Board, the profession’s regulator. Sidhu denies the accusations.

• EasternEye
• 12 September, 2024

By: EasternEye

KING’s Counsel (KC) Navjot “Jo” Sidhu, a former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, is facing multiple sexual harassment allegations.

The claims, involving at least four women, have been brought before the Bar Standards Board, the profession’s regulator. Sidhu denies the accusations.

The complainants, understood to be young lawyers, reportedly used the Bar Council’s online hotline, Talk to Spot, to file their complaints.

The online tool was launched five years ago to allow barristers to record inappropriate workplace behaviour. Once submitted, the complaints were passed to the Bar Standards Board for investigation, according to The Times.

Sidhu has been removed from the list of lawyers at No5, the largest chambers in the country, and his registration as a practising barrister has also been deleted. Sources confirmed to The Times that the first complaints against the 58-year-old were made at least two years ago.

Sidhu, a well-known criminal law specialist, had previously been interviewed for the role of Director of Public Prosecutions, a position ultimately filled by Max Hill KC. He also unsuccessfully ran for election as chair of the Bar Council. In 2022, as chair of the Criminal Bar Association, he led strikes over legal aid rates, which resulted in the suspension of court proceedings in England and Wales.

No criminal charges have been filed against Sidhu, but his case will be heard at a disciplinary tribunal. The Bar Council is currently researching bullying and sexual harassment within the profession, following a study that showed a 13 per cent increase in such complaints since 2017, the newspaper reported. The review is led by former MP and solicitor Harriet Harman.

Sidhu has declined to comment on the allegations, and his law firm, Brett Wilson, confirmed that neither they nor Sidhu would be making any public statements. The Bar Council and the regulator have also declined to comment on ongoing investigations.