The North's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) was correct to conclude that Gerry Adams should not be prosecuted for withholding information about the sexual abuse of his niece Áine Adams, a report by the Northern Ireland Attorney General John Larkin, QC, has concluded.
The North's deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Pamela Atchison said that based on Mr Larkin's review the PPS had concluded that there was "insufficient evidence" to pursue a case against the Sinn Féin president for allegedly withholding evidence.
Mr Adams welcomed the report, saying, “I committed no offence”.
Mr Larkin in his 48-page report published today found that the PPS “correctly formed the view that the evidential test for prosecution could not be satisfied in relation to Gerry Adams”.
Mr Larkin did however query whether the PPS was “premature” in deciding that the evidential test had not been met “in circumstances where the evidence on the file was unclear as to the extent of Gerry Adams’ knowledge of the nature of the sexual abuse”.
This related to whether Áine Adams, also known by her married name of Aine Dahlstrom, had informed Gerry Adams that she had been raped by her father Liam or whether she had just referred to the general term of sexual abuse.
“I consider that there was sufficient information regarding Gerry Adams’ state of knowledge to at least merit obtaining a further statement from Aine (Adams) concerning the issue of what she had told her uncle,” said Mr Larkin in his report.
“Any doubt as to whether the evidential test was or was not met could have been resolved by inviting clarification from the principal witness (Aine Adams),” he added.
The North’s deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Ms Atchison however said that Áine Adams had informed the PPS that she was satisfied with the outcome of the case against her father and that “she has nothing further to add to her statements and that she does not wish to see this matter pursued any further”.
“Accordingly, we have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to meet the test for prosecution in this case,” she added.
The Sinn Féin president said he the report “underlines the trauma that allegations of abuse engender within families”.
He added: “I hope that this report will assist state agencies, including the police, judiciary and prosecution authorities, in dealing with cases of alleged sexual abuse.”
Ms Atchison said that the PPS felt vindicated by the report. She said it supported the decision by the PPS that it was more “in the public interest” to use Mr Adams as a prosecution witness against his brother Liam Adams rather than to see him as a possible suspect for withholding information.
“We welcome the careful consideration given to the public interest issues where information may be held by a family member or family members who may also be potential prosecution witness and the expression of understanding of the PPS’ conclusions in this regard,” added Ms Atchison.
In November 2013 Liam Adams was sentenced to 16-years in prison for sexually abusing his daughter Áine between the ages of four and nine. The offences occurred between 1977 and 1983, when Adams was aged between 22 and 26.
In October 2013 Liam Adams was found guilty of all 10 charges against him - three counts of rape, three of gross indecency and four of indecent assault.
