Gerry Adams to appeal 1975 prison escape convictions

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has announced plans to appeal his 1975 criminal convictions for attempted prison escape.

Mr Adams was one of nearly 2,000 people who were interned without trial in the early 1970s.

He twice attempted to escape from Maze Prison and was subsequently convicted in two separate Diplock Court trials.

Announcing his appeal, Mr Adams said: “Following the recovery of a document by the Pat Finucane Centre in October 2009 from the British National Archives in London, I instructed my solicitor to begin proceedings to seek leave to appeal the 1975 convictions.”

Mr Adams was interned from March-June 1972, and then again from July 1973. He was one of three prisoners caught trying to cut through perimeter fencing on Christmas Eve 1973.

According to UK government files, he again attempted to escape by switching with a prison visitor in July 1974.

He was prosecuted and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.