''Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland v. Liam Adams'' was a criminal case relating to allegations of child abuse made in 2009 against Liam Adams, brother of Irish politician

Gerry Adams Gerard Adams (; born 6 October 1948) is a retired Irish Republican politician who was the president of Sinn Féin between 13 November 1983 and 10 February 2018, and served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Louth from 2011 to 2020. From 1983 to 19 ...

. Liam Adams was found guilty in October 2013 of 10 offences, and was sentenced in November 2013 to 16 years in prison.

UTV ''Insight'' Special

In December 2009, a UTV ''Insight'' Special 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 The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

. Gerry also alleged that his deceased father,

Gerry Adams, Sr. Gerard Adams Sr. (1926 – 17 November 2003) was an Irish Republican Army (1922–1969), Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteer (Irish republican), volunteer who took part in its Northern campaign (Irish Republican Army), Northern campaign in ...

, had subjected family members to

emotional Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiology, neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavior, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or suffering, displeasure. There is ...

physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, clinical examination, or medical checkup, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a Disease, medical co ...

and

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...

. The

Police Service of Northern Ireland The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ; Ulster-Scots: '), is the police service responsible for law enforcement and the prevention of crime within Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) after it ...

issued a

European Arrest Warrant The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is an arrest warrant valid throughout all member states of the European Union (EU). Once issued, it requires another member state to arrest and transfer a criminal suspect or sentenced person to the issuing stat ...

for Liam Adams' arrest.

Extradition request

In December 2009, Liam Adams presented himself at a

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace") is the national police and security service of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards". The service is headed by the Garda Commissio ...

police station in

Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...

. 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. On 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 The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) was a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom which existed from 1 April 2006 until 7 October 2013. SOCA was a national law enforcement agency with Home Office sponsorship, e ...

. The following day, Adams handed himself over to the authorities in the Republic. Adams opposed his

extradition In an extradition, one Jurisdiction (area), jurisdiction delivers a person Suspect, accused or Conviction, convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, into the custody of the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforc ...

. At a brief hearing on 21 July, Adams applied for

legal aid Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right ...

to help fight the extradition. On 3 October 2011, an

Irish High Court The High Court () of Ireland is a court which deals at first instance with the most serious and important civil and criminal cases. When sitting as a criminal court it is called the Central Criminal Court and sits with judge and jury. It also ...

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. 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 Pre-trial detention, also known as jail, preventive detention, provisional detention, or remand, is the process of detaining a person until their trial after they have been arrested and charged with an offence. A person who is on remand is ...

for a week.

Trials

There were two trials; the first collapsed in April 2013 for legal reasons.

Verdict

In October 2013 Liam Adams was found guilty of ten offences, including rape and gross indecency committed against his daughter between 1977 and 1983 when she was four to nine. On 27 November 2013, Adams was jailed for 16 years with a further two years probation. He died in prison 25 February 2019.

References

{{Reflist 1970s crimes in the United Kingdom 1980s crimes in the United Kingdom 2013 in Northern Ireland Child abuse case law People convicted of incest Political sex scandals in Northern Ireland Sex crime trials Trials in the United Kingdom Irish rapists Child sexual abuse in Northern Ireland 1970 crimes in the United Kingdom Rape in Northern Ireland