A Sikh lawyer has won a discrimination claim against Britain's Ministry of Justice. Amrik Bilkhu, a criminal defence lawyer was barred seeing a client at Belmarsh prison in South London in October 2013 because of the four pins holding his turban together, though he was allowed in before on previous occasions.
Mr Bilkhu was awarded undisclosed compensation after the Ministry decided to settle out of court.
Mr Bilkhu’s legal representative reportedly said that his client had suffered “indignation and distress” at his treatment by prison staff and added that any security concerns that prison staff may have had should have been “more proportionately addressed” instead of Mr Bilkhu being barred from entering the prison altogether.
The Ministry of Justice refused to comment on individual cases.
