Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams awarded €100,000 after winning libel action against BBC

A BBC Spotlight programme and accompanying online article alleged that Mr Adams was involved with the killing of Mr Donaldson. He was shot dead in County Donegal in 2006 after admitting to working with British police and MI5 over two decades.

Mr Adams has denied any involvement in Mr Donaldson’s death. A jury at the High Court in Dublin today (May 30) ruled that Mr Adams had been defamed by the BBC’s claims and that the actions of the corporation were not in good faith. It was also found that the BBC had not acted in a fair and reasonable wya in including the allegations in the Spotlight programme and online article.

The programme, broadcast in 2016, quoted an anonymous source who provided information under the pseudonym ‘Martin’ who alleged that the killing of Mr Donaldson was sanctioned by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with Mr Adams allegedly giving the “final say” on his murder. The Real IRA claimed responsibility for his death in 2009.

Mr Adams called the allegation a “grievous smear”. Meanwhile, the BBC labelled Mr Adams’ legal action a “cynical attempt to launder his reputation”.

The BBC also argued that the claim from the anonymous source had been put forward in the documentary and article immediately followed by a denial from Mr Adams, which meant that it had been presented only as an allegation and not a fact.

The jury had been told to deliberate on whether it was “more likely than not” that a “hypothetical reasonable reader” would have read the allegations as fact and also judging whether the broadcaster’s actions had been fair and reasonable, and it had acted in good faith. The jury deliberated for six hours and 49 minutes before returning their verdict.

The former Sinn Fein leader had originally sought at least €200,000 in damages, but the jury determined that Mr Adams should be awarded €100,000, which was described as a falling on the medium scale for defamation.

Following the conclusion of the trial, Paul Tweed, Mr Adams solicitor, siad: “The jury, 12 people from different walks of life, having listened to extensive evidence during the course of the past four weeks, has come to the unequivocal conclusion that the subject allegation was highly defamatory. It therefore follows that the BBC Spotlight team at the time should not have included it in their broadcast. Not only had the false allegation regarding our client been the focus of the Spotlight documentary, but it had been utilised to sensationalise and publicise their programme.

“Furthermore, the fact that the false allegation has been left online for almost nine years has, in my opinion, done much to undermine the high standards of accuracy that is expected of the BBC. This case could and should have been resolved some considerable time ago.”