Barrister disbarred for sexual misconduct with intern

A barrister from London has been disbarred after forcing a young aspiring lawyer to engage in unwanted sexual activity on her first day of work experience. Navjot 'Jo' Sidhu KC, who is 59 years old and married, faced serious professional misconduct charges. The tribunal heard that the incident took place in 2018 when Sidhu invited the young paralegal, known only as Person 2, to his hotel room for work. Despite her objections to staying or lying on the bed, he initiated sexual contact. Person 2 testified that she did not consent to the encounter. The tribunal found that Sidhu's actions breached his position of trust as a senior barrister mentoring someone new to the profession. His invitation was deemed inappropriate, and the panel ruled that he coaxed the young woman into reluctant consent. Sidhu faced a total of ten charges, of which three were proven against him. The panel noted a significant power imbalance between Sidhu and Person 2. He was disbarred during a hearing, which was made public despite his lawyers' request for privacy. Though Sidhu admitted to relationships with two women involved in the case, he insisted they were consensual. He voluntarily gave up his right to practice law 17 months ago and has not been active since then. The case underscores serious issues of abuse of power within the legal profession.