Adam Norris


Call 2002


Adam Norris is an experienced specialist in criminal law. His practice encompasses all aspects of crime and regulatory (quasi-criminal) offences, both prosecuting and defending, appearing predominantly in the Crown Court, the Court Martial, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Court Martial Appeal Court.

Adam is an eloquent and persuasive advocate with a global approach, an eye for detail and a tenacious but relaxed style. His goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for any client.

Adam is adept at explaining the intricacies of the justice system to his clients with clarity and sensitivity. He provides pragmatic and tactically astute advice and welcomes the opportunity to be involved as early as possible in the decision-making of a case. He relies not only on his legal knowledge, but also on the depth and breadth of his experience from his former career in a government department.

Adam served in the Army for 12 years before studying for the Bar and has particular expertise in cases involving service law and/or military personnel. For further details, please see his Military Law experience.

Adam is qualified to accept instructions through Direct Access.

Adam enjoys foreign travel and outdoor pursuits. He is seldom happier than when up a mountain somewhere. He volunteers as a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group leader.

Expertise

Notable Serious Violence, Weapons cases


R v G

Aggravated burglary. A multi-handed drugs-related case involving firearms and other weapons.


R v G

False imprisonment, GBH. A multi-handed case involving the torture of a vulnerable man.


R v P

Prosecution of a ‘Freeman on the Land’ carrying an arsenal of offensive weapons.


R v G

GBH. Revenge attack on neighbour with claw hammer.
Dishonesty, offences against administration of justice.


R v S

Assisting an offender. Suspect mistakenly shot during a covert police operation to arrest a family member.


R v D

Perverting the course of justice, Fraud. False allegations of rape and harassment, falsification of DNA paternity test.


R v R

Fraud, Theft. Disqualified company director defrauding clients.


R v R

Burglary. Successful defence of ‘third-strike’ burglar found in complainant’s garden carrying complainant’s property.

Notable Sexual Offences cases


R v R

Rape. Consensual sex between girl below age of consent and family friend.


R v E

Rape. Former soldier accused of historic (22 years) sexual assaults on step-daughter, step-son and daughter of a family friend.


R v P

Indecency with a Child. Former sailor accused of historic (50 years) sexual assault on neighbour’s child.


R v G

Indecency with a Child. Accusations of historic (41 years) sexual assaults on child.


R v B

Sexual assault. Sexual assault by youth on step-mother, defence of automatism. Issue of ‘insanity’ in sleep-walking. Expert evidence that the law has not kept pace with psychiatry.


R v M

Sexual assault. Lodger accused of sexual assault on landlady. Defence of consent.


R v R

Rape. Historic (40 years) sexual offences against natural daughter and step-daughter.

Notable Death / Serious Injury on Roads cases


R v A

Serious injury by dangerous driving. Car hit reveller outside nightclub. Suspected driver arrested for attempted murder. Defence of mistaken identity.


R v P

Serious injury by dangerous driving. Paramedic disabled speed limiter and drove unstable ambulance at excessive speed at end of shift. Loss of control and crash, colleague thrown from rolling vehicle into tree and suffered broken back.


R v A

Death by careless driving. Death of motorcyclist in collision with a farm vehicle performing a difficult turn. Issues of speed and lines of sight.

Notable Drugs cases


R v G

Conspiracy to import drugs. Led junior in multi-million pound importation of cocaine from Central America using insiders at port of entry.

Adam Norris served in the Army for 12 years before studying for the Bar.

He has a deep understanding of the culture, language and idiosyncrasies of service life and is therefore able to grasp the particular implications of a case involving military personnel, whether in the military or civilian courts. He combines this with his knowledge of both criminal and military law to offer a first-class service in this specialist sphere.

He has appeared in cases involving serving and former military personnel in the civilian criminal jurisdiction, principally in the Crown Court; and in the military jurisdiction, in both the Court Martial and the Court Martial Appeal Court.

He regularly appears in Military Court Centres within UK and abroad and has security clearance, which enables him to deal with cases of a particularly sensitive nature.

Notable Military Law cases


R v S. GBH

Senior NCO accused of serious assault on Special Forces Warrant Officer in civilian pub car park. Self defence.


R v C

GBH – Junior NCO accused of serious assault on civilian during a night out. Defence of another.


R v A.

Theft – Prosecution of personnel attached to Special Forces stealing and selling specialist military equipment abroad.


R v S

Rape. Promising naval medic accused of rape of colleague in camp after night out during training. Convicted after trial, sentenced to detention and discharged. Successful appeal against conviction and reinstated.


R v P

Assault. Well-meaning female military nurse accused of assault on boorish colleague following his reprehensible behaviour. Plea on minimal basis. Referred back to Commanding Officer for punishment.


R v M

Experienced sailor accused of assault on under-performing shipmate during argument on board. Plea on minimal basis. Admonished (expression of dissatisfaction) by Board.

Associations and Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Western Circuit

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