Drug-smuggling lawyer released
A defence lawyer convicted of smuggling drugs into the Edmonton Remand Centre has been released from prison by the province’s highest court while he awaits his appeal.
Earlier this month, Justin Sidhu, 32, unsuccessfully applied for bail that would have allowed him to remain free until his appeal of his trafficking conviction. Justice Thomas Wakeling concluded Sidhu’s appeal did not have a high enough chance of success to justify ordering bail. Sidhu surrendered himself into custody Sept. 21.
On Tuesday, three justices on the Court of Appeal of Alberta reviewed his bail application and unanimously overturned the rejection and ordered his release.
On Sept. 8, Sidhu was sentenced to four years in prison after he used greeting cards to smuggle $6,000 worth of methamphetamines into the Edmonton Remand Centre in 2013.
Security footage from Sept. 19, 2013, showed Sidhu walking into the institution carrying a large envelope with his client’s name on the front. Correctional officers later found a birthday card and a Christmas card in the envelope containing six grams of methamphetamines.
At trial, prosecutor Anita Chan said Sidhu deliberately lied to a correctional officer about what was inside the envelope. Confidential lawyer-client materials are not subject to rigorous searches.
Court heard the drugs were discovered after Sidhu met with his client. A correctional officer took the envelope when he saw rolling papers fall from it.
Defence lawyer Peter Royal has since argued the Crown did not prove Sidhu knew the drugs were in the cards. “He was simply stupid, a dupe,” Royal said during Sidhu’s first bail application. “This case has holes all over the place.”
Sidhu is not currently practising law. It is likely he will be disbarred if his conviction stands after his appeal is heard.