London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Gerry Adams wrongly denied prison compensation, court rules

Gerry Adams wrongly denied prison compensation, court rules

Gerry Adams was wrongly denied compensation after his convictions for trying to escape from prison in the 1970s were quashed, the High Court has ruled.

The former Sinn Féin president won an appeal to have two historic convictions overturned in 2020.

Mr Justice Colton said he was satisfied that Mr Adams meets the test for compensation.

The judge quashed a previous decision to deny a pay-out.

He also ordered the Department of Justice to reconsider Mr Adams's application.

Mr Adams had been found guilty of two attempts to escape from lawful custody while being held at the Maze Prison - then known as Long Kesh internment camp - in 1973 and 1974.

He was in jail because he had been interned without trial, a practice that was introduced in Northern Ireland amid spiralling violence in the early 1970s.

More than 1,900 people suspected of being members of paramilitary organisations were detained, but many were arrested based on flawed intelligence.

Mr Adams, who has consistently denied being a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), was later sentenced to a total of four-and-a-half years in jail.

The Maze Prison closed in 2000


In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that his detention had been unlawful and quashed both convictions.

The interim custody order (ICO) used to initially detain him was held to be invalid because the then-Northern Ireland secretary, Willie Whitelaw, had not personally authorised it.

Mr Adams issued judicial review proceedings after a subsequent application for compensation was turned down.


'Erred in law'


Under the statutory scheme, payment for a miscarriage of justice is made in cases where "a new or newly-discovered fact" shows the person did not commit the offence, which lawyers representing Mr Adams argued he qualifies under based on new circumstances established by the Supreme Court.

Mr Adams' lawyer said the newly-discovered fact in this case was the confirmation that "there was no personal consideration by the secretary of state, and that (another) minister of state signed the ICO without authorisation to do so".

"If the applicant was not lawfully detained, he did not commit the offence he was convicted of.

"The newly-discovered fact led to the quashing of these convictions," he added.

A lawyer for the Department of Justice had argued it was the analysis of a legal point which led to the guilty verdicts being overturned, rather than a new or newly-discovered fact.

The judge stressed that both counsels were unaware of the factual situation surrounding the invalid ICO.

"The applicant has been convicted of a criminal offence, his conviction has been reversed in circumstances where a newly-discovered fact, the lack of consideration by the secretary of state, shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice, that is the applicant is innocent of the crime for which he was convicted," he said.

He concluded that the Department of Justice had "erred in law" in determining that the reversal of Mr Adams's conviction arose from a legal ruling on facts, something which he said had been known all along.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×