London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Black barrister mistaken for defendant three times in one day

Black barrister mistaken for defendant three times in one day

The chief executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service has begun an urgent investigation into how a black barrister was repeatedly mistaken for a defendant in court yesterday. Criminal and family law barrister Alexandra Wilson explained events on Twitter, saying she believed a light needed to be shone on the issue ‘especially given so many people like me seem to experience the same thing’.
Alexandra Wilson, 25, who works as a criminal and family barrister, said she was ‘almost in tears’ after they repeatedly failed to recognise her profession on Wednesday.

In a viral Twitter thread, she wrote she was ‘completely exhausted’ of ‘having to constantly justify my existence at work’. Kevin Sadler, the acting chief executive of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, has apologised and promised to launch an investigation.

It comes after a Ministry of Justice report found only 9% of senior barristers are from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

Ms Wilson, from Essex, said a security guard asked to take her name so he could find it on the list of defendants when she arrived at court.

She said: ‘I explained I was a barrister. He apologised and guided me through security. At this point I tried to shrug it off as an innocent mistake.’

After meeting with her client, she attempted to enter the courtroom to discuss the case with the prosecutor – but was stopped by a member of the public who believed she was a journalist.

An usher who recognised her job title told her to go inside, but as she opened the door another solicitor or barrister advised her to wait outside for the court to call her in.

Writing on Twitter, Ms Wilson continued: ‘I explained I’m a barrister. She looked embarrassed and said “oh. I see”. ‘She turned back around and I walked towards the prosecutor, ready to have our conversation. ‘Before I got there the clerk, VERY loudly, told me to leave the courtroom and said the usher would be out shortly.

Before I could respond she then asked if I was represented. ‘I, AGAIN, explained that I am a defence barrister trying to speak to the prosecutor.

She looked at me, said “oh right, ok” and continued with what she was doing.’ Ms Wilson, who is the author of In Black And White: A Young Barrister’s Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System, has since lodged a formal complaint. She said: ‘This really isn’t ok though. I don’t expect to have to constantly justify my existence at work.’

Responding to her tweets, HMCTS acting chief executive, Kevin Sadler, said: ‘I’m very sorry about your experience at court yesterday – it is totally unacceptable behaviour.’

He said he would be investigating the role of his staff and contractors ‘as a matter of urgency’ adding: ‘This is not the behaviour anyone should expect and certainly does not reflect our values.’ Ms Wilson said she is ‘grateful’ for the apology and hopes it ‘leads to some real change’.

It comes as figures reveal people from BAME backgrounds are less likely to be successful when applying to become a judge. Only 9% of senior barristers are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

A Ministry of Justice report found last week that BAME people are ‘over-represented in applications for judicial appointment’ but are ‘less likely to be successful’.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
Jellyfish Swarm Triggers Shutdown at Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in Northern France
×