Daughter of pensioner ‘sacrificed to protect IRA spy Stakeknife' loses battle for legal review of case
The daughter of a murdered pensioner allegedly sacrificed to protect a top-ranking British spy inside the IRA has lost a legal battle to have her complaints judicially examined in Northern Ireland.
Noreen Thompson was refused leave to challenge an Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) decision that her case should be dealt with by the Court of Appeal in England and Wales.
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Glasgow Times
7 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
How the BBC defended programme that aired Adams allegation
In the defamation case taken against the broadcaster by Mr Adams, they argued that his reputation was not harmed by the allegation as he was widely considered to have been a member of the IRA and its Army Council. Mr Adams denies ever being in the IRA and said on the stand that it was 'not a path that I took'. The Spotlight programme, aired in September 2016, included a claim from an anonymous source referred to as 'Martin' that the shooting of Denis Donaldson in 2006 was sanctioned by the IRA leadership and that Mr Adams 'gives the final say'. Mr Donaldson was killed in Co Donegal months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent. The BBC argued that airing allegations responsibly was a central tenet of journalism. It stressed that it was an allegation that was made, and not a statement of fact, that Mr Adams had sanctioned and approved the killing. The broadcaster said that after the allegation, they aired Mr Adams' denial, the claim of responsibility by the Real IRA and the progress of the Garda investigation. BBC barrister Paul Gallagher SC said the case was taken by Mr Adams on the misunderstanding that the allegation was only based on one source. Journalist Jennifer O'Leary at the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Spotlight reporter Jennifer O'Leary gave evidence that the allegation was corroborated by five other sources. She said she was on the road for months after the source 'Martin' made the allegation in a recorded interview in April 2016, and held 60 different meetings with sources in the months after. Ms O'Leary said she took 'care' and was 'responsible' with the allegation and said she wanted to be 'fair' to Mr Adams by being selective in who she asked to corroborate the allegation. During the court case in Dublin's High Court, she said she wanted to be 'fair' to Mr Adams, by putting the allegation to sources with experience in the IRA or who had access to intelligence at the time of Mr Donaldson's killing. She said that she wanted to put it to people who had been reliable sources before and said because of this, she did not include one particular garda source as corroboration because she had not used them before. Ms O'Leary said she took the 'utmost care' with the allegation and denied leaving out pieces of information from the programme that would contradict the claim against Mr Adams. Spotlight editor Gwyneth Jones outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) BBC Spotlight editor Gwyneth Jones gave evidence that they did not treat the claim like a 'big sensationalist expose' and said the tone was 'measured' and the language 'precise'. 'There was so much care taken over this programme. It was a solid piece of journalism and the result of many months work and a lot of diligence and a lot of rigour and a lot of scrutiny,' she said. In his closing statement, Mr Gallagher told the jury that Mr Adams could not say his reputation had been harmed by the programme if his reputation was of being a member of an organisation that 'held this country and the north as a hostage for three decades'. 'Are we to say nothing about that? Mr Adams would like us to say nothing.'
Glasgow Times
7 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
BBC to pay Gerry Adams 100,000 euros in defamation case
Mr Adams took the BBC to court over an episode of its Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, for which he denies any involvement. A jury at the High Court in Dublin found in his favour on Friday after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article. It also found the BBC's actions were not in good faith and the corporation had not acted in a fair and reasonable way. Mr Adams' legal team said the verdict of the jury was a 'full vindication' for their client while the BBC said it was 'disappointed' with the outcome. Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Co Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent over 20 years. In the programme broadcast in September 2016, an anonymous source given the pseudonym Martin claimed the shooting was sanctioned by the political and military leadership of the IRA and that Mr Adams gave 'the final say'. In 2009, the dissident republican group the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing and a Garda investigation into the matter remains ongoing. Mr Adams said the allegation was a 'grievous smear' while the BBC has described the legal action as a 'cynical attempt to launder his reputation'. The high-profile republican sought damages of at least 200,000 euro (£168,000) from the BBC. However, the British public service broadcaster had argued it would be a 'cruel joke' to award the former Sinn Fein president any damages. It had argued the allegation was corroborated by five other sources and that Mr Adams had a reputation of being a member of the IRA. Denis Donaldson was killed in 2006 (BBC/PA) After six hours and 49 minutes of deliberations in total, the jury awarded the plaintiff 100,000 euro – which falls within the 'medium' range for defamation. Speaking outside court, Mr Adams said taking this case was 'about putting manners on the British Broadcasting Corporation'. He told reporters: 'I know many, many journalists. I like to think that I get on well with the most of them, and I wish you well, and I would uphold your right to do your job. 'But the British Broadcasting Corporation upholds the ethos of the British state in Ireland, and in my view it's out of sync in many, many fronts with the Good Friday Agreement. '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.' He said there is an onus on everyone, including himself, to deal with these legacy issues. He said: 'I'm very mindful of the Donaldson family in the course of this long trial, and indeed of the victims' families who have had to watch all of this. 'I want to say that the Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan should meet the family of Denis Donaldson as quickly as possible, and that there's an onus on both governments and everyone else, and I include myself in this, to try and deal with these legacy issues as best that we can.' Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin after the jury returned its verdict (Brian Lawless/PA) His solicitor Paul Tweed said Mr Adams was 'very pleased with this resounding verdict', adding the award of damages 'speaks for itself'. Johnsons Solicitors, who acted for Mr Adams, said: 'The outcome today has provided a full vindication for our client, Mr Adams.' Speaking outside court, Adam Smyth, director of BBC Northern Ireland, said: 'We are disappointed by this verdict. 'We believe we supplied extensive evidence to the court of the careful editorial processes and journalistic diligence applied to this programme, and to the 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. 'We didn't want to come to court but it was important that we defend our journalism and we stand by that decision.' He added: 'Our past is difficult terrain for any jury and we thank them for their diligence and careful consideration of the issues in this case. 'The implications of their decision, though, are profound. As our legal team made clear, if the BBC's case cannot be won under existing Irish defamation law, it is hard to see how anyone's could, and they warned how today's decision would hinder freedom of expression. Director of BBC Northern Ireland, Adam Smyth and journalist Jennifer O'Leary outside the High Court (Brian Lawless/PA) 'Of course, a case of this importance, duration and complexity involves significant expense. In common with other media organisations, the BBC has insurance and makes financial provision for ongoing and anticipated legal claims.' BBC Spotlight reporter Jennifer O'Leary said she had 'nothing to hide, only sources to protect'. She also thanked the BBC and its legal team for defending journalism. Ms O'Leary said: 'I'm a big believer in trying your best in life and going about your business with integrity, and I want to pay a particular tribute to our witnesses in court, senator Michael McDowell, Trevor Ringland, and in particular Ann Travers, who spoke so courageously.' She said there were thousands of victims and survivors of the troubles in the UK and Ireland, adding: 'Those people carry the burden of their grief and trauma with incredible dignity and courage, and they are the people I am thinking of, I know my colleagues are also thinking of. I am thinking of all of them today.' The BBC will have to pay costs but the amount has yet to be decided. Mr Smyth added the corporation will take some time to consider the implications of the ruling.
ITV News
9 minutes ago
- ITV News
Reform to accept donations in Bitcoin, Farage says
Reform UK are now accepting donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Nigel Farage has announced. The party leader told the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas he would 'launch in Britain a crypto revolution' and make London 'one of the major trading centres of the world'. The plans are part of Reform's Crypto Assets and Digital Finance Bill, which they would put into effect if they won the next general election. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... Farage told the conference: 'As of now, provided you are an eligible UK donor (…) we are the first political party in Britain that can accept donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.' 'Once again, we're being innovative,' he added. On the Reform UK website on Thursday evening, it was possible to make a donation using cryptocurrency. There was also a disclaimer stating that all donations are subject to Electoral Commission rules and that anonymous donations are not permissible. Farage said: 'My message to the British public, my message particularly to young people, is help us to help you bring our country properly into the 21st century. 'Let's recognise that crypto, Bitcoin, digital assets, are here to stay.' Announcing the crypto legislation that his party have drawn up, he also said 'we're going to have a Bitcoin digital reserve in the Bank of England'. In a video posted on his X account, Farage said: "America is leading the way in crypto and digital assets - what's happening in the UK? Nothing. "The Labour and Conservative parties don't even understand it, yet there are seven million British people that own crypto," he said. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have increased in popularity in recent years, with research suggesting around 12% of adults in the UK own or have owned cryptoassets, up from 4% in 2021. Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to regulate cryptoassets in a bid to make the UK a 'world leader'. She told a fintech conference that she would back the builders as she announced plans to make crypto firms subject to regulation in the same way as traditional finance companies.
