He was educated at the Liverpool Institute, but left school on the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to join the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

This officer went out that night, under machine-gun, rifle and shell fire, and, moving along the whole length of the line, obtained accurate information.

Morris became a High Court judge in 1945, joining the King's Bench Division and receiving the customary knighthood.

In Shaw v DPP (1961) UKHL 1, handed down on 4 May 1961, the appellant's conviction for the common law offence of conspiracy to corrupt public morals was upheld by the House of Lords.

In his opinion, Morris said:[4] I join, however, with those of your Lordships who affirm that the law is not impotent to convict those who conspire to corrupt public morals.

383) that "whatever is contrary, bonos mores est decorum [good manners are proper], the principles of our law prohibit, and the King's Court, as the general censor and guardian of the public manners, is bound to restrain and punish", is echoed and finds modern expression in Kenny's Outlines of Criminal Law (17th Edn.)

There are certain manifestations of conduct which are an affront to and an attack upon recognised public standards of morals and decency and which all well-disposed persons would stigmatise and condemn as deserving of punishment.

It is said that there is a measure of vagueness in a charge of conspiracy to corrupt public morals and also that there might be peril of the launching of prosecutions in order to suppress unpopular or unorthodox views.