Gerry Adams wins libel case towards the BBC

Gerry Adams has received €100,000 (£84,000) in damages over a BBC tale concerning the homicide of a British agent.

The former Sinn Féin chief alleged he used to be defamed in a BBC NI Spotlight programme broadcast in 2016 and an accompanying on-line article, during which an nameless contributor alleged he sanctioned the 2006 homicide of Denis Donaldson.

Mr Adams, 76, denies any involvement.

The 11-person jury got here to its findings after six hours and 49 mins of deliberations at Dublin’s High Court.

The jury used to be requested to respond to 5 questions. The first query used to be whether or not the phrases within the programme “mean Mr Adams sanctioned and approved Denis Donaldson’s murder”.

The pass judgement on stated the jury spoke back “yes” to query one.

Question two referred to a BBC News NI web page tale that accompanied the BBC NI Spotlight programme and whether or not the phrases within the article intended that Mr Adams sanctioned and authorized Denis Donaldson’s homicide.

Again the jury spoke back “yes” to that query.

The 3rd and fourth questions comparable as to whether or now not the BBC reported the allegations in just right religion.

To those the jury determined “no”.

The 5th query associated with how much cash Mr Adams will have to be awarded in damages.

The jury determined he will have to be awarded €100,000.

The BBC had argued a defence of honest and cheap reporting on a question of public pastime.

The trial on the High Court in Dublin heard 4 weeks of proof from 10 witnesses, together with Mr Adams and reporter Jennifer O’Leary.

The programme used to be noticed by means of an estimated 16,000 audience within the Republic of Ireland.

Mr Adams used to be a TD (member of the Irish parliament) for Louth on the time it used to be broadcast.

The pass judgement on presiding over the case, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, finished his recap of the proof of all witnesses on Wednesday.

The pass judgement on informed the jurors that in the event that they award damages to Mr Adams, they will have to base it on his contemporary and present popularity.

The criminal invoice for Gerry Adams as opposed to the BBC is to believed to be between €3-5 million (£2.5-4.2m), in step with resources with wisdom of the case.

It is known to be had been one of the vital dear circumstances the company has ever fought.

There used to be a tribulation lasting 5 weeks on the High Court in Dublin, involving 4 senior recommend, two on each and every facet.

Three rows of benches in court docket 24 had been now and then occupied by means of as much as 14 barristers and solicitors.

One of the ones appearing for the BBC, Paul Gallagher, is a former Irish Attorney General and reportedly probably the most nation’s perfect paid barristers.

There has now not handiest been a long trial, however various initial court docket hearings.

Jury trials are normally longer – and subsequently costlier – than the ones held in entrance of a pass judgement on appearing on my own.

Ireland is within the means of overhauling its defamation regulations, together with the removal of jury trials in High Court defamation circumstances.

In Northern Ireland, there was “a presumption against jury trials” in libel circumstances since 2022.