PRACTICE SUMMARY
Adam has a busy professional discipline practice and regularly presents for Appropriate Authorities in proceedings brought under Part 4 and Part 5 of the misconduct regime. Adam has experience of the full gamut of discipline cases ranging from use of excessive force, sexual harassment, discrimination, and dishonesty to failure to follow orders and instructions. Adam has experience of complex multi-handed cases and has been led. He has also appeared on behalf of the AA in the Police Appeals Tribunal. In addition, Adam regularly acts as legal advisor to Chief Constables around the country.
Adam has substantial experience in private law actions against the police and public authorities, and he is regularly instructed to defend Chief Constables in actions for unlawful arrest and false imprisonment, assault, battery, malicious prosecution, and misfeasance in public office. Adam has a particular interest in cases that involve breaches of the Human Rights Act and European Convention on Human Rights and is instructed in a number of cases concerning violations of Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention.
In addition, Adam is regularly instructed in civil applications on complaint in the Magistrates’ Court and has dealt with applications relating to domestic violence (DVPOs), sexual behaviour, including applications for SHPOs and SROs, stalking and harassment (stalking protection orders), gang violence (applications for gang injunctions), dangerous dogs (proceedings under Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and Dogs Act 1871), football hooliganism (FBOs), firearms, and civil forfeiture of cash and listed assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Adam also has experience of dealing with High Court applications for notification orders under the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008. Furthermore, Adam is frequently instructed as independent counsel to review and advise upon material potentially subject to legal professional privilege.
RECENT CASES
Pc M [2025] – Police Appeals Tribunal. Instructed by the AA, Adam successfully resisted an appeal against the decision of the Chief Constable at an accelerated misconduct hearing that the former officer should be dismissed without notice for breaches of the Confidentiality Standard and the integrity limb of the Honesty and Integrity Standard arising out his misuse of police systems to access private and sensitive information in a live criminal investigation. After a hearing, the Appeal Panel refused the appeal on all grounds and upheld the decision of the Chief Constable to dismiss the former officer without notice.
Ps X et al [2024] – Led by Olivia Checa-Dover. On behalf of West Yorkshire Police, Olivia and Adam secured 68 findings of gross misconduct and multiple findings of misconduct arising out the exchange of racist, misogynistic, transphobic and bullying remarks in a WhatsApp group. A misconduct panel dismissed without notice five officers and declared that a further three officers would have been dismissed without notice had they not resigned.
JL (employment) [2024] – Led by Olivia Checa-Dover. The Claimant brought claims against the Respondent Force alleging discrimination on the grounds of disability and sex. After a five-day trial, the Tribunal unanimously dismissed all of the Claimant’s claims finding the Respondent Force had not acted unlawfully.
SF v CC Thames Valley Police [2024] – For the successful claimant in a jury trial before HHJ Clarke at Oxford County Court. The claimant alleged unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and trespass to his person in respect of his arrest for a purported theft. Damages, including aggravated damages, and costs awarded.
Pc H [2024] – Inappropriate sexual messages to a junior female colleague. Gross misconduct. Dismissed without notice.
K v West Yorkshire Police [2024] – Instructed by the CCWYP, Adam successfully resisted an appeal against an order forfeiting cash in the sum of £83,015.00. The cash was seized under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 following an operation by Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit Cyber Crime Team, with support from the NCA and DWP. The Appellant was ordered to pay the Chief Constable’s costs of defending the appeal.
Ps G [2024] – Police Appeals Tribunal. Instructed by the AA, Adam successfully resisted an appeal against the findings of a police misconduct panel of gross misconduct. The Appeal was refused on all grounds and the decision to dismiss the officer without notice upheld.
Pc G [2023] – misuse of information. Dissemination of sensitive information by a custody sergeant. Gross misconduct. Dismissed without notice.
Pc W [2023] – use of force on a child.
BE v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2023]. For the successful Claimant. Adam appeared for the successful Claimant who alleged negligence against the Commissioner whose officer’s forced entry into the Claimant’s property, purportedly whilst pursuing a suspect, causing the Claimant injury as they did so. Damages and costs awarded.
KM v West Yorkshire Police [2023]. For the successful Chief Constable. Adam appeared for the Chief Constable in a 2-day trial at Leeds County Court before Recorder Mulholland. The Claimant was part of a large online paedophile hunter group and had alleged she was unlawfully arrested, falsely imprisoned and assaulted by officers when she was arrested for falsely imprisoning suspected offenders. The Court roundly rejected the Claimant’s case and found her arrest was necessary and lawful. The Chief Constable recovered his costs of defending the claim.
West Yorkshire Police v K et al [2023]. Adam appeared for the Chief Constable in a cash forfeiture application under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The cash was seized as part of an investigation by Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit Cyber Crime Team, with support from the NCA and DWP, into offences being committed by a hacker group called “AnonGhost”. The application was wholly successful and a forfeiture order was made in the sum of £83,015.00 plus the Chief Constable’s costs.
CC and DC v Cleveland Police [2022]. Adam is being led by Ian Mullarkey in a high-profile case involving the alleged unlawful arrest of the claimants on suspicion of the murder of their son who disappeared in 1992.
AK v Greater Manchester Police [2022]. For the successful claimant in a jury trial before HHJ Sephton KC at Manchester County Court. The claimant alleged unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and trespass to his person in respect of his arrest for a purported breach of the peace. Damages and costs awarded.
SO v Thames Valley Police [2022]. For the successful claimant in a trial before HHJ Clarke sitting at Oxford County Court. The claimant alleged unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and trespass to her person in relation to her arrest arising out of an alleged assault. Damages and costs awarded.