Paul Tweed

Mr Adams, who led the Irish republican party from 1983 to 2018, sued the UK public broadcaster for defamation in the Irish High Court over claims relating to the 2005 murder of Denis Donaldson.

An episode of BBC Spotlight NI and an accompanying online article, both published in 2016, alleged that Mr Adams had sanctioned the murder of Mr Donaldson, a former Sinn Féin worker outed as an MI5 informer.

A jury today ruled in favour of Mr Adams and ordered the BBC to pay him €100,000 (around £84,000) in damages.

Speaking outside the Four Courts, Mr Tweed said the “totally untrue and defamatory” allegations should not have been broadcast.

“Our client is very pleased with this resounding verdict and award of damages which speaks for itself,” he said.

Mr Tweed also said the BBC’s failure to remove the allegations from its website for nine years had “undermined the high standards of accuracy that is expected at the BBC”.

“It begs the question whether there has been any political or outside pressure on the BBC to take the stand they have taken,” he added.