Gavin Robinson: 'My thoughts are with victims of the IRA' after Gerry Adams wins defamation case against the BBC
The DUP leader has said the party’s thoughts are with “the innocent victims who suffered at the hands of the IRA” – as the BBC is ordered to pay former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams 100,000 euros after he won a libel case against the broadcaster.
TUV leader Jim Allister said that regardless of the verdict, the people of Northern Ireland “know that Gerry Adams stood front and centre in justifying and defending thirty years of brutal IRA terror”.
Mr Adams took the corporation to court in Dublin over an episode of the Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, which he argued had defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, an incident he denies any involvement in.
A jury at the High Court in Dublin found in Mr Adams’s favour on Friday after determining that was the meaning of the words included in the BBC stories.
Gavin Robinson said the jury’s decision relates “to a specific allegation broadcast and published online by the BBC about Gerry Adams.
“Our thoughts today are with the innocent victims who suffered at the hands of the IRA - ruthless terrorists who were victim-makers for many years. I would struggle to find a victim of IRA violence who has changed their view of Gerry Adams”.
The East Belfast MP also criticised the broadcaster’s handling of the case, and the resultant cost to license fee payers.
“While journalists must always be able to scrutinise and investigate in the public interest, the BBC have significant questions to answer.
“How have they found themselves in a situation where allegations were insufficiently evidenced with the consequence that license payers money will now be spent on both damages and reputed legal costs running into many millions?”, the DUP leader said.
However, the BBC defended its handling of the case, and while thanking the jury said that there would be “profound” implications as a result of the decision.
Adam Smyth, Director of BBC Northern Ireland, speaking on behalf of the broadcaster, expressed disappointment at the verdict.
“We believe we supplied extensive evidence to the court of the careful editorial process and journalistic diligence applied to this programme and accompanying online article.
“Moreover, it was accepted by the court, and conceded by Gerry Adams’ legal team, that the Spotlight broadcast and publication were of the highest public interest”, he said.
Mr Smyth added: “ our legal team made clear, if the BBC’s case cannot be won under existing Irish defamation law, it’s hard to see how anyone’s could. And they warned that today’s decision could hinder freedom of expression”.
TUV leader Jim Allister also responded to the verdict with thoughts about the victims of IRA violence.
The North Antrim MP said: “Regardless of the verdict delivered by a Dublin jury, the people of Northern Ireland know that Gerry Adams stood front and centre in justifying and defending thirty years of brutal IRA terror.
“His active role at the heart of the Republican terror machine is well documented — not merely in hearsay, but in the detailed testimonies and investigations contained in multiple authoritative books on the IRA. These include the works of Peter Taylor, Toby Harnden, Ed Moloney, and Eamon Collins — all of which remain available and uncontested in the public domain.
“For the countless innocent victims of IRA violence, the one abiding consolation is this: Gerry Adams will one day stand before a higher court than any convened in Dublin.”
Gerry Adams has always denied being a member of the IRA. Asked by a reporter about what the outcome of the case means for his reputation, he replied: “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 I think let’s accept what the jury said.”
He also referenced his legal action against the UK government, saying: “I’m mindful of an unrelated case, again, which I won, and which the Supreme Court in London decided that I and up to three or four hundred other internees had been unlawfully detained.
“And the British Prime Minister is refusing to pay, I don’t mind, but is refusing to pay compensation to what are now quite elderly former internees, and he has actually said that he will use every conceivable mechanism to prevent compensation being paid.
“So if you want an explanation why this went on for nine years and why we spent five weeks here, I think there is direct political interference with this.”