Gerry Adams' brother to face sex charges

2011-10-03 16:43

Dublin - A brother of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams is to be extradited to Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic to face 18 charges of sexually abusing his daughter, a high court in the Republic of Ireland ruled on Monday.

Liam Adams, 56, presented himself to police in Ireland in December 2009 after Northern Irish police issued a European arrest warrant and Gerry Adams appealed for his brother to hand himself in.

Liam Adams faces charges of rape, indecent assault and gross indecency.

It is alleged the offences occurred between 1977 and 1983 and that his daughter, who has waived her right to anonymity, was just five when they began.

His lawyers had argued he would not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland because of the "huge media publicity" surrounding the case and referred to a television interview in which Gerry Adams said he believed his niece's allegations.

"In all the circumstances the court does not propose to uphold the objections to his surrender and will make an order for his surrender," Justice John Edwards said, adding that the courts in Northern Ireland would take all the necessary steps to ensure Liam Adams receives a fair trial.

Gerry Adams, who for years was the face of republican opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland and was once interned as a guerrilla suspect, dissociated himself from his brother following the allegations.

- Reuters