The Daily Star Ireland
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has secured a €100,000 award in a defamation lawsuit against the BBC, following a jury’s determination that a 2016 broadcast and accompanying online article falsely implicated him in the 2006 murder of Denis Donaldson, a former party official and British intelligence informant.
The case centered on a BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight program and related online content, which featured an anonymous source alleging that Adams authorized Donaldson’s killing. Adams consistently denied any involvement, asserting that the claims were baseless and damaging to his reputation. The jury concluded that the BBC’s reporting was neither fair nor reasonable and did not meet the standards of good faith journalism.
The trial, held at Dublin’s High Court, spanned several weeks and included testimonies from multiple witnesses, including Adams and the journalist responsible for the original report. The jury deliberated for nearly seven hours before reaching its verdict.
Outside the court, Adams expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that the case was about holding the BBC accountable for its reporting. He criticized the broadcaster for what he perceived as alignment with British state interests in Ireland and for being out of step with the peace process established by the Good Friday Agreement.
The BBC, through its Northern Ireland director, conveyed disappointment with the verdict, maintaining that the program was produced with journalistic diligence and served the public interest. The broadcaster highlighted concerns about the potential impact of the decision on press freedom and indicated that it would review the ruling’s implications.
