Who? Emma Norton, director and solicitor, Centre for Military Justice.

Emma Norton

Why is she in the news? Norton is acting for the family of Private Tony Harrison, who are bringing a legal challenge to the Legacy Act. Harrison was shot dead by the IRA while off duty in 1991. The family says the act breaches human rights because it will prevent investigations into Troubles-related killings.

Thoughts on the case: ‘At a stroke, the government has brought to an end every single criminal investigation, inquest and civil claim arising from all deaths and serious injuries perpetrated during the Troubles. The government maintains it is taking this step to help the survivors of the conflict recover and move on. That is disingenuous and founded upon the myth that there is a “witch-hunt” against British soldiers. Since the Good Friday Agreement there has been just one conviction of a British soldier, and he was given a suspended sentence. Most soldiers I meet don’t want this law. The Legacy Act is part of the same piece that brought us the Overseas Operations Act (that excluded soldiers from the reach of the criminal law overseas in certain circumstances), the Illegal Migration Act and the (thankfully now defunct) Bill of Rights. Thousands of victims and their families – including the families of soldiers murdered by the IRA – have overnight been deprived of any hope of justice in relation to the most terrible crimes.’

A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said: ‘We do not comment on ongoing legal issues. The Legacy Bill provides a framework to deliver effective legacy mechanisms for victims and families, while complying with our international obligations.’

Dealing with the media: ‘An entire generation has grown up after the Troubles and finds what happened in Northern Ireland hard to fathom. Nor are our children taught much (outside Northern Ireland) about the conflict. For these reasons, and because the Legacy Act followed a plethora of legislation that desensitised the public to the assaults on the rule of law perpetrated by this government, there was not a huge amount of coverage of the Legacy Act outside Northern Ireland. Those that have covered it have been fascinated by the fact that it is a British soldier’s family that is bringing the case, and that they have been closely working with the family of a schoolgirl killed by a British soldier.’

Career high: ‘Setting up the Centre for Military Justice with Des James, the father of Private Cheryl James, who died at the infamously toxic Deepcut Barracks in 1995.’

Career low: ‘Tedious, lazy attacks on the European Convention on Human Rights, which are really gathering steam thanks to the rhetoric of our current home secretary.’

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