Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland v. Liam Adams

Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland v. Liam Adams is an ongoing criminal case relating to a number of allegations of child abuse made in 2009[1] against Liam Adams, the brother of Irish politician Gerry Adams.

UTV Insight Special

In December 2009, a UTV programme alleged that Liam Adams had sexually abused his daughter, Áine Tyrell, for a decade. In response, his brother Gerry Adams urged Liam to turn himself in to the police.[2][3] Gerry also alleged that his deceased father, Gerry Adams, Sr., had subjected family members to emotional, physical and sexual abuse.[4][5] The Police Service of Northern Ireland issued a European Arrest Warrant for Liam Adams’ arrest.[6]

Extradition request

In December 2009, Liam Adams presented himself at a Garda Síochána police station in Sligo. They were not able to arrest him as they did not have the necessary European Arrest Warrant. Adams did not wish to hand himself into police in Northern Ireland, citing unfairness.[7]

On the 3 March 2010, the High Court in Dublin endorsed the European arrest warrant which was issued in Liam Adams' name by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.[8] The following day, Adams handed himself over to the authorities in the Republic.[8]

Adams opposed his extradition.[9] At a brief hearing on July 21, Adams applied for legal aid to help fight the extradition.[10]

On 3 October 2011, an Irish high court judge in Dublin declined Liam Adams' objections to the extradition request and said he would issue an order for Adams to surrender to the authorities in Northern Ireland. On 18 October 2011, after losing his appeal against extradition, Adams was remanded in custody for 15 days to a Dublin prison.[11] He was handed over to officers from the PSNI at the border on the night of 2 November, and brought to Laganside Magistrates Court on the morning of 3 November, where he was remanded in custody for a week.[12]

References

  1. ^ "... in favour of Gerry Adams resigning as Sinn Féin president ..." - survey". RTÉ. 13 February 2010. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0213/nipolitics.html. Retrieved 4 March 2010. 
  2. ^ "Adams' brother sought over alleged abuse". RTÉ. 18 December 2009. http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1218/adamsg.html. Retrieved 4 March 2010. 
  3. ^ McDonald, Henry (18 December 2009). "Gerry Adams urges brother to face child sex charges". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/dec/18/gerry-adams-brother-child-sex-charges. Retrieved 4 March 2010. 
  4. ^ "Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams reveals family abuse history". The BBC. 20 December 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8423357.stm. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 
  5. ^ Adams reveals family history of abuse. RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Sunday, 20th December 2009. Audio interview also available from that page.
  6. ^ "European arrest warrant sent for Liam Adams". The Irish Times. 5 February 2010. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0205/1224263814128.html. Retrieved 4 March 2010. 
  7. ^ "Liam Adams 'will not return to NI'". The Irish Times. 24 December 2009. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1224/breaking2.html. Retrieved 7 February 2010. 
  8. ^ a b "Adams To Appeal Extradition". 4ni.co.uk. October 6, 2011. http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=133072. Retrieved November 3, 2011. 
  9. ^ "Gerry Adams' brother Liam hands himself in to police". The BBC. 4 March 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8549939.stm. Retrieved 4 March 2010. 
  10. ^ "Liam Adams bids for legal aid to fund media transcripts". The BBC. July 21, 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-10718391. Retrieved July 25, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Liam Adams loses extradition appeal". The Irish Times. 19 October, 2011. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1019/1224306074669.html. Retrieved 19 October, 2011. 
  12. ^ "Liam Adams refused bail in Belfast". RTÉ. 3 November, 2011. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1103/adams.html. Retrieved 3 November, 2011.