Important note: This is an archive of the website that was formerly at www.morrisinquiry.gov.uk. It is being hosted on the MPA website for archival purposes only and may contain out-of-date information.

This resource is from the final Report of the Morris Inquiry. This section contains details of members of the Inquiry.

Sections available here:

• Members of the Inquiry
  • Sir William Morris OJ
    Chair of the Inquiry
  • Sir Anthony Burden, OSTJ, QPM, CCMI, Bsc (Hons)
  • Anesta Weekes QC

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Members of the Inquiry

Sir William Morris OJ
Chair of the Inquiry

Sir Bill Morris was born in Jamaica, arriving in Birmingham, England in 1954 and working his way through the ranks of the Transport and General Workers’ Union to be elected as Britain’s first black General Secretary in 1991 and 1995. He retired from that post in October 2003.

He is continuing his public role in a variety of ways including:

• Non-Executive Director, Bank of England
• Member, Commission for Integrated Transport
• Member, England and Wales Cricket Board
• Member, Employment Appeals Tribunal
• Member, Architects’ Registration Board
• Chancellor, University of Staffordshire
• Chancellor, University of Technology, Jamaica
• Member, Board of Governors, South Bank University
• Patron of a number of charities, including The National Black Boys Can Association

Past appointments include:

• Member of the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords
• Member of the Commission for Racial Equality
• Member, General Advisory Council, BBC
• Member, General Advisory Council, Independent Broadcasting Authority
• Member, Economic and Social Affairs Committee of the European Union
• Trustee, Prince of Wales Youth Business Trust

He has received honorary degrees and fellowships from a number of universities and is a Trustee of the Open University Foundation.

In October 2002, he was awarded the Order of Jamaica by the Jamaican Government for services to international trade unionism.

In November 2003, he received a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Sir Anthony Burden, OSTJ, QPM, CCMI, Bsc (Hons)

Sir Anthony Burden was Chief Constable, South Wales Police from 1996 until the end of 2003 when he retired. As Chief Constable, he was responsible for 5,000 officers and staff policing an area with a population of 1.3 million which includes Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. He had previously been Chief Constable of Gwent Constabulary from 1994.

Prior to this he had served for twenty years in Wiltshire Constabulary, his last position being Detective Chief Superintendent in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department and in 1989 he transferred to West Mercia Constabulary as Assistant Chief Constable and was subsequently appointed Deputy Chief Constable.

He was elected and served in the position of the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) from October 2000 to October 2001.

During his career he had responsibility for race and community relations issues, equality and several operational matters dealing with police use of firearms and firearms licensing. He also implemented procedures to send U.K. police officers to take part in the United Nations peacekeeping duties abroad. Sir Anthony has served as a Co-Director of Extended Interviews for the Police High Potential Development Scheme and Police Chief Officer Selection Scheme. He has also served as Chairman of the Police Athletic Association, a Vice President of the Police Mutual Assurance Society and is a Trustee of the British Police Symphony Orchestra.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) Degree in Social Sciences and in 1995 received the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service in the New Year’s Honours List. He is also a Brother Officer in the Order of St. John and in 2002 was made a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. In 2004, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glamorgan.

He received a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List 2002.

Sir Anthony is married with three children.

Anesta Weekes QC

• 1981 Called to the Bar
• 1999 Took silk and appointed Assistant Recorder
• 2000 Recorder
• 2002 Accredited Mediator (CEDR)
• 2004 Bencher of Gray’s Inn

Main area of practice

• Criminal Law, defends and prosecutes in all aspects of Criminal Law

Employment Law work

• Part-time Chairman of Employment Tribunals.
• Arbitrator for Commonwealth Secretariat (dealing with disputes – mainly employment law contracts)

Highlights

• Counsel to the Broadwater Farm Inquiry into the death of Police Constable Keith Blakelock
• Counsel to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
• Member of the Government’s Review Committee on Gambling
• Representing convicted persons on capital cases before the Privy Council and before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (Re: Dixon, March 1999)
• 1999 – Awarded The Times Runner-up Woman of the Year
• Advocacy trainer for Gray’s Inn. (Trained lawyers and judiciary in South Africa and The Hague)
• Lecturer and facilitator for Criminal Bar on the Human Rights Act
• Speaker for employment lawyers on amendment to Race Relations Act
• Television appearances: Crimewatch UK on sentencing, BBC TV Hypothetical on patient consent
• Radio 4 – Questioning of victims in rape cases

Membership of Committees

Past

• Member of Ethnic Advisory Committee for Judicial Studies Board
• Member of Home Office Advisory Committee on race relations
• Vice-chair of Bar Council’s Equal Opportunity Committee

Present

• Chair of the British Caribbean Jurist Group
• Board member of English National Opera