Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has won a defamation case against the BBC.
Mr Adams claimed he was defamed in a 2016 Spotlight programme and a subsequent online article, which he said falsely claimed that he sanctioned the killing of former senior Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson.
Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Donegal in 2006, months after admitting being an informer for the police and MI5 over two decades.
The jury rejected the BBC’s defence that it was fair and reasonable to broadcast the programme in the public interest.
The jury of 11 people awarded €100,000 in damages to Mr Adams after seven hours of deliberations.
Speaking outside court, Mr Adams answered a reporter’s question saying: “I’ve always been satisfied with my reputation.
“Obviously, like yourself, we all have flaws in our character but the jury made the decision and let’s accept the outcome and let’s accept what the jury said.”
“From my perspective, taking this case was about putting manners on the British Broadcasting Corporation,” he said.
“I know many, many journalists. I like to think that I get on well with most of them. I get on well with the most of them and I wish you well…
“But the British Broadcasting Corporation upholds the ethos of the British state in Ireland and in my view, its out of sync in many, many fronts with the Good Friday Agreement,” Mr Adams said outside court.
“It hasn’t caught on to where we are on this island as part of the process, the continuing process, of building peace and justice and harmony and hopefully in the time ahead unity.”
I personally thought that the jury would find in Adams’ favour but award a nominal damages amount – shows you what I know.
The jury had five questions to answer:
- The first was whether the words in the programme “mean Mr Adams sanctioned and approved Denis Donaldson’s murder”.
- The second was the same but in relation to the online article – they answered yes to both.
- The third and fourth questions related to whether or not the BBC reported the allegations in good faith – the answer to these was no.
- The fifth question was about money – how much should Adams be awarded? The jury settled on €100,000 in damages.
Adams says he will donate the money to good causes.
Why did Gerry Adams take the case in the Republic of Ireland not Northern Ireland? The BBC says:
The BBC Spotlight NI programme was produced and broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland and the online article was published in Northern Ireland.
Defamation cases can be brought before courts wherever the content is available.
Gerry Adams brought the case in Dublin as the programme was able to be watched in Ireland, where it was seen by about 16,000 people.
He was a member of the Irish parliament at the time.
The online article had approximately 700 hits in Ireland during a 14-month period after publication in September 2016.
This is not a great answer, to be honest. Do any of you know why he took the case in Dublin?
Additionally, the coverage does not specify who is covering the estimated legal costs of 3-4 million euro. I assume the BBC? That will cheer you up when you are paying over your licence fee.
Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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