He wore a turban instead of a horsehair wig
The United Kingdom’s first ethnic minority judge, Sir Mota Singh QC, has passed away over the weekend, aged 86.
Singh — who was born in 1930 in Nairobi, Kenya — was found unconscious on Friday and was rushed to hospital. Sadly he did not recover.
Arriving in the UK in 1953, Singh immediately began studying to become a barrister. Having been called to the bar of England and Wales three years later, he returned to Kenya, before making the move to the UK permanent in 1965.
A devout Sikh, Singh made headlines when he became the first member of an ethnic minority to be elevated to the judiciary in 1979. Initially sitting as part-time recorder, he opted to wear his turban instead of the more traditional horsehair wig. He became a full-time circuit judge in 1982, spending most of his time at Southwark Crown Court in London, before retiring in 2002.
In 2010 Singh received a knighthood from the Queen for his charitable work and service as a judge. As news of his passing broke, a flood of tributes appeared on Twitter.
UK's First Sikh Judge, Sir Mota Singh passed away yesterday. He was also United Kingdom's First ethnic minority Judge #Waheguru #Sikhs pic.twitter.com/WjDEnC5clq
— Harjinder S Kukreja (@SinghLions) November 13, 2016
Sir Mota Singh QC was fantastically kind to me as a young law student and while I read for the Bar. I'll miss him more than I can say.
— Rae S-G-M (@MmedeBeauvoir) November 13, 2016
Sir Mota Singh QC has passed away. He paved the way for minority lawyers and judges. A true icon. RIP.
— Rajiv Sharma (@Raj_Sharma_UK) November 13, 2016
Speaking to Metro, his wife, Swaran Kaur, said:
He was a wonderful person who achieved so much in his life. He was so hard working.
