THE HIGH COURT had ordered that Liam Adams, brother of Sinn Féin president and Louth TD Gerry Adams, be extradited to Northern Ireland to stand trial for sexual abuse allegations made by his daughter.
A European Arrest Warrant was issued last year but Adams, 56, objected to being extradited to Northern Ireland to face the 18 charges being brought against him.
His daughter Áine Tyrell, who waived her right to anonymity, claims the alleged abuse dates back to when she was aged between five and ten.
Adams contended that he would not face a fair trial and that media coverage of the allegations could put him at a disadvantage. He also raised concerns over public awareness of his political affiliation and said he believes his prosecution is politically motivated.
However, the High Court today ruled that decisions regarding possible prejudice and issues surrounding the delay in bringing prosecution should be addressed by the courts in Northern Ireland. The judge also said they saw no evidence that Adams’ fundamental rights would not be respected by Northern Ireland.
The judge said that there is simply no evidence beyond coincidence in the time between the issuing of arrest warrants after a lengthy period of dormancy in the investigation, and Adams being caught in adverse media attention. There is no evidence, the judge added in court documents seen by TheJournal.ie, that the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland acted out of political motivation.
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