Latest news with #JenniferOLeary
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Jury heard contrasting evidence about Gerry Adams' reputation
The jury in the Gerry Adams defamation case at Dublin High Court heard dramatically differing evidence about the reputation of the former Sinn Fein leader. One witness said Mr Adams had a reputation of 'seriousness and dependability', while another said it was of a 'warmonger'. Contrasting evidence was also heard about the BBC Spotlight programme that originally broadcast the allegation that Mr Adams sanctioned the murder of British agent Denis Donaldson. One expert media witness said the broadcast did not meet the corporation's editorial thresholds of responsible journalism, while another said it was not unfair or unjust. While the focus of attention in the high-profile trial concentrated on the evidence of Mr Adams and Spotlight journalist Jennifer O'Leary, several other witnesses gave evidence over four weeks. Mr Adams' legal team called the former solicitor for the Donaldson family, Ciaran Shiels, as a witness. He told the jury he had had contact with the BBC team before the Spotlight programme was broadcast. Asked what he would have said to Ms O'Leary if she had put to him the allegation against Mr Adams, Mr Shiels said: 'I would have said to her that not only was she barking up the wrong tree, she wasn't even in the right orchard.' Mr Adams' team then called John Martin O'Loan, who has previously held roles involving senior editorial responsibility, including by establishing Sky News, as an expert on journalistic standards. He told the court: 'The BBC did not meet the editorial thresholds of responsible journalism in its inclusion and presentation of the solo anonymous allegations against Mr Adams.' He said the segment of the Spotlight programme containing the allegation that Mr Adams sanctioned the killing 'lacked sufficient editorial veracity to be published'. Former US congressman Bruce Morrison, who worked with Bill Clinton on Northern Ireland's peace process, gave his evidence by videolink from Bethesda, Maryland. Mr Morrison said Mr Adams was a controversial figure but his reputation was one of a 'serious man on a serious mission who was committed to' the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. He said his impression of Mr Adams' reputation was that he was an 'elder statesmen' and 'distinguished leader' who had made an 'extraordinary contribution' to change in Northern Ireland. The BBC's legal team also dealt with the Spotlight broadcast and Mr Adams' reputation when it called witnesses to give evidence. Chris Banatvala, who drew up the UK's broadcasting rules for Ofcom and was its founding director of standards, compiled a report based on the Spotlight programme. He told the jury: 'What I have written is, on balance, given the significant public interest, what information is already in the public domain about Gerry Adams, the fact that the BBC reasonably believed its primary source, 'Martin', to be credible and reliable, that the BBC had corroborative evidence from other credible and multiple sources. 'It was couched in terms of allegations, there was an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond, the programme would probably not be found in breach and not be unfair or unjust to Mr Adams.' Campaigners for Troubles victims, Ann Travers and Trevor Ringland, described Mr Adams as as a 'warmonger' and 'peace taker'. Ms Travers' sister Mary was killed by the Provisional IRA in an attack in which her father Tom Travers, who was a lawyer who became a magistrate in 1979, was also shot six times. Asked about Mr Adams, she said: 'His reputation would be one of having been a warmonger.' Asked to explain why, she replied: 'For the Troubles, supporting the IRA and the murder of innocent people.' Mr Ringland, a former Irish rugby international, told the jury his father was shot by the IRA. Asked for the public's perception of Mr Adams, he replied: 'He is seen as a peace taker, not a peacemaker.' He added: 'I think the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland would regard him as a peace taker.' Former Irish attorney general Michael McDowell was called by the BBC to speak about Mr Adams' reputation. He said: 'Amongst the public, he is known as a politician now who was a leading member of the IRA and who was active in the IRA during the period of its armed struggle against the forces of law and order on this island.' He added: 'He is reputed to have been a chief negotiator in, I think, 1974 between the provisional movement and the British government and thereafter he was reputed to have a role in the Belfast IRA as its commanding officer. 'Later he was reputed to have become a member of the Army Council of the IRA.' Referring to the time of the peace process, he said: 'During that period, the view of the (Irish) government based on intelligence briefings was that Mr Adams was a member of the Army Council and was a leading member of the Army Council.' Asked about Mr Adams' reputation among politicians more generally, he added: 'I've never met any politician who did not believe he was a leading member of the IRA during its 'armed struggle', as it calls it, and thereafter he was a dominant figure within Army Council.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Gerry Adams v BBC: Could libel court bill reach €5m?
Gerry Adams versus the BBC was one of the most high-profile and expensive courtroom showdowns in recent Irish legal parties who needed no introduction – the figurehead of Irish republicanism against a UK media with knowledge of the case believe the bill is between €3-5m (£2.5- £4m).Both sides had two senior counsel each and the first three rows of the court were filled by barristers and solicitors. Why bring proceedings in Dublin? Mr Adams was able to do so because the 2016 BBC NI Spotlight programme which contained the allegation was seen by an estimated 16,000 viewers in the time he was a TD (member of the Irish parliament) for accompanying online story was also able to be read south of the border – it had about 700 "clicks". It is also fair to speculate that Mr Adams calculated he had a better chance of winning with an Irish jury with little or no memory of The by the way, could be the last High Court defamation trial by jury in Ireland, as it is in the process of changing the former Sinn Féin leader spent longer in the witness chair than any of the other nine people who evidence spread across the first seven days – in contrast Spotlight NI reporter Jennifer O'Leary spent three days in the hot one point Mr Adams reminded a barrister for the BBC: "I'm not on trial here."But his reputation came to form a central part of proceedings, especially for the BBC. IRA denials As one of his own barristers put it, Mr Adams is "a polarising" that end, each side had prepared its own video presentation, a life story in two chapters if you BBC showed the jury a montage of news reports of IRA attacks, interspersed with clips of Mr Adams justifying its actions."What's this got to do with Spotlight?" he asked more than once during he has all his life, Mr Adams again denied ever having been in the IRA, or being a leading figure on its army council until lawyers' video covered the 1990s onwards, depicting Mr Adams as peacemaker, with Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and the future King Charles they claimed, was the reputation defamed by the BBC in the verdict was going to be, the five week trial has renewed the debate around Mr continues to be a past that hasn't gone away.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Gerry Adams: Jury in BBC libel case to consider verdict next week
The jury hearing Gerry Adams' libel case against the BBC will be sent out to consider its verdict next is suing over a 2016 Spotlight programme and online report in which an anonymous source alleged the former Sinn Féin leader sanctioned the murder of a British agent, Denis Adams, 76, denies the trial, at the High Court in Dublin, has taken place over the past four weeks. Mr Justice Alexander Owens began addressing the jury of seven men and five women on issues and evidence on Friday, and will continue next Tuesday told them they are not being asked to reach a decision as journalists, but as "ordinary members of the public using common sense".He also added that they are not tasked with making a "historical judgment" on Mr Adams' role in the peace process. Judge says nine or more jurors must agree In fighting the case, the BBC has argued a defence of fair and reasonable publication in the public interest, as set out in section 26 of Ireland's 2009 Defamation Adams claims he was defamed in the Spotlight programme and an accompanying online has been 15 days of evidence from ten witnesses, including Mr Adams and reporter Jennifer O' of Mr Donaldson's family have watched proceedings via video jury has been given an issues paper – a series of questions – it must deliberate Justice Owens told jurors a "cohort" of nine or more has to be in if the jury finds against the BBC, would it then consider the amount of Adams brought the case in Dublin as the Spotlight programme was able to be watched in Ireland, where it was seen by about 16,000 was a TD for Louth at the online article had approximately 700 hits in Ireland during a 14-month period after publication in September Donaldson was shot dead in Donegal in 2006, months after admitting having worked for the police and MI5 inside Sinn Féin for 20 2009, the Real IRA said it had murdered on sources, Spotlight claimed the killing was the work of the Provisional IRA. Who was Denis Donaldson? Mr Donaldson was once a key figure in Sinn Féin's rise as a political force in Northern Ireland but he was found murdered in 2006 after it emerged he had been a was interned without trial for periods in the the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin appointed Mr Donaldson as its key administrator in the party's Stormont 2005, Mr Donaldson confessed he was a spy for British intelligence for two decades, before disappearing from was found dead in a small, rundown cottage in Glenties, County Donegal. Who is Gerry Adams? Mr Adams was the president of republican party Sinn Féin from 1983 until served as MP in his native Belfast West from 1983 to 1992 and again from 1997 until 2011 before sitting as a TD (Teachta Dála) in the Dáil (Irish parliament) between 2011 and Adams led the Sinn Féin delegation during peace talks that eventually brought an end to the Troubles after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in was detained in the early 1970s when the government in Northern Ireland introduced internment without trial for those suspected of paramilitary Adams has consistently denied being a member of the IRA.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
BBC reporter denies claims she had ‘no regard or care' about Adams allegation
A BBC reporter has rejected assertions that she had 'no regard or care' whether a claim that Gerry Adams sanctioned the killing of a spy was true of false. Jennifer O'Leary said she did not treat the allegation 'recklessly', saying her journalism was carried out in 'good faith'. Ms O'Leary made the comments as she ended her evidence at the libel trial at the High Court in Dublin. Mr Adams has claimed that a BBC Spotlight programme, as well as an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of Mr Donaldson. He denies any involvement. Mr Donaldson was shot dead in 2006, months after admitting he was a police and MI5 agent for 20 years. In 2009 the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing, and the Spotlight programme was broadcast in September 2016 while a garda investigation into the matter was ongoing. In the programme, an anonymous source identified as 'Martin', who says he was an informant for Special Branch within the IRA, claimed that the shooting was sanctioned by the political and military leadership of the IRA and that Mr Adams 'gives the final say'. The BBC has said the claim was corroborated by five other sources. Under cross examination by Mr Adams' barrister, Tom Hogan SC, put it to Ms O'Leary that she did not make the allegation 'bona fide'. Spotlight reporter Ms O'Leary said that her journalism was carried out in good faith. 'The allegation was checked in good faith and in the public interest,' she said. Mr Hogan said the allegation was made by the reporter 'recklessly', adding that she had 'no regard or care if it was true of false'. 'I absolutely refute that assertion,' Ms O'Leary responded. She also told the court that the allegation against Mr Adams was not a 'single source' allegation. She said she took the allegation seriously and met with reliable sources who 'speak to it', and not republicans who had animosity towards Mr Adams. The investigative journalist said she avoided people who she knew had some sort of history with Mr Adams and those who would be biased in what they said. 'I was careful and responsible. Was I supposed to ignore the allegation? It was in the public interest that it was in the programme but only if it was stood up,' she added. Mr Hogan put it to Ms O'Leary that she was 'just ticking boxes' when she was speaking to people about the allegation. She replied: 'Mr Hogan, I am a professional journalist, I wasn't ticking boxes. I was doing my job in a professional way. It would be nothing without sources.' However, Mr Hogan accused Ms O'Leary of setting about to find 'yes men' who would corroborate the allegation. 'That is not the case,' the reporter rebuked. She was accused of disclosing the allegation only to 'disaffected' republicans and 'indiscreet' security people. 'No, that is a wrong representation of the sources. I spoke to republicans who support the peace process, and have no animosity. I wasn't going to any Tom, Dick or Harry to check the journalism.' He went on to say that once she received the right of reply from Mr Adams, and 'having ticked the boxes', Ms O'Leary was able to publish 'in the knowledge you never had to stand over the allegation'. She said: 'I don't agree with the premise of that question. I absolutely can stand over the journalism. The way it is represented, that we can kick back and put our feet on table. That is not the way I operate. 'This is investigative journalism, it is rigorous and you get the gift of time.' Gwyenth Jones, editor of Spotlight, also gave evidence on Thursday. Ms Jones, who has known Ms O'Leary professionally for 13 years, was asked by defence barrister Eoin McCullough SC to describe her work. Ms Jones said her BBC colleague is 'hard working, a grafter, very committed and passionate about her journalism'. 'She is someone who I think has a very good trait to be in investigative journalism, in that she will always play the devils advocate and she questions things. 'She is curious. Her work was to a very high standard.' The trial continues.
BreakingNews.ie
15-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Gerry Adams allegation was checked in 'good faith', BBC journalist tells court
A BBC journalist behind a programme at the centre of Gerry Adams' defamation action against the broadcaster has refuted a suggestion she set about finding 'yes men' to corroborate a claim that the former Sinn Féin leader sanctioned the killing of a British agent. Jennifer O'Leary previously told the court the allegation – made to the BBC Spotlight programme by an anonymous contributor dubbed Martin – was corroborated by five different sources. Advertisement At the High Court on Thursday, during the third week of a civil trial hearing into Mr Adams' action, the reporter said the allegation was checked in good faith, and in the public interest. Mr Adams claims the Spotlight programme and a related article published in 2016 defamed him by falsely accusing him of sanctioning Mr Donaldson's killing at a cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal in 2006. The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams, who insists he had no involvement in the death, which dissident republicans claimed responsibility for in 2009. Continuing his cross-examination of Ms O'Leary on Thursday, Tom Hogan SC put it to the witness that she had set about finding 'yes men' who would corroborate the allegation against Mr Adams, like disaffected republicans and indiscrete security services people. Advertisement She refuted this, and said she spoke to republican sources who supported the peace process, who did not hold animosity towards Mr Adams. 'I wasn't going to any Tom, Dick or Harry, Mr Hogan, to check the journalism,' she said. Mr Hogan put it to Ms O'Leary that she engaged in 'ticking boxes', by speaking to sources who wouldn't contradict the allegation against Mr Adams, and receiving Mr Adams' denial of the allegation. With boxes ticked, she was able to publish the allegation in the knowledge that she wouldn't have to stand over the allegation, he claimed. Advertisement Ms O'Leary said she didn't agree with the premise of the question, and said she could absolutely stand over her journalism. Mr Hogan suggested to the witness that she didn't make the allegation against Mr Adams 'bona fide'. She said the journalism was done in good faith, the allegation was checked in good faith, and in the public interest. Counsel suggested she made the allegation recklessly. 'It wasn't an allegation made by me. It wasn't an allegation taken or treated recklessly,' she said. Ms O'Leary agreed that numerous times, it was put to Mr Adams that he never previously took legal action over allegations made against him in the past. Mr Hogan put to the witness that she could say anything about Mr Adams, because he wouldn't sue. Advertisement In response, Ms O'Leary said this was an 'outrageous and wrong suggestion' to make. 'Everybody that features in a BBC story is treated in the exact same way,' she said. In making a serious allegation about Gerry Adams, Ms O'Leary said she wasn't given 'carte blanche' to do so because he 'hadn't sued before'. 'That is not the case whatsoever,' he said. Mr Hogan said that in dismissing previous allegations made by the likes of Sean MacSiofán, Dolours Price or 'any disaffected IRA man or woman', he was able to explain why they might make such an allegation, because he knew their identity. Advertisement He said this was not the case with Martin – a single, anonymous person making an unsubstantiated allegation out of the blue. Explaining why Martin had to be anonymous, Ms O'Leay said that in 2015, according to a PSNI/MI5 report, IRA men were trying to identify 'human intelligence' sources. She said 'you can be sure' that there would be an interest in identifying Martin, 'who was talking about his experience about being an informer'. She noted the potential consequences of his identification, including trauma and grief to his family. 'That is the reason why he had to be anonymous,' he said. Ms O'Leary was also asked about the related BBC News article Mr Adams is suing over. Ms O'Leary previously told the court she didn't write the article, although it was based on her journalism. Ms O'Leary has now completed her evidence. Gweyneth Jones, who was deputy editor of Spotlight at the time the programme was published, is now giving evidence. The trial, before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues.
