Adams' brother sought over alleged abuse

[Denn Forever]

Anyone see this on UTV?

Friday, 18 December 2009 20:07
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has called on his brother Liam to give himself up to police who want to question him about sex abuse allegations against a family member.

Liam Adams, who is in his 50s, has lived in Dundalk and Co Donegal at different stages and gardaí are aware he is being sought by the authorities in Northern Ireland.


The story came to light after the woman at the centre of the abuse allegations waved her anonymity in order to tell her story.

She is making public allegations that over a period of at least eight years, beginning in the late 1970s, she was abused by her father. She will feature in a special UTV programme at 8pm tonight.

She claims she can remember the alleged offences, including rape, from the time she was four.

In November of last year, 30 years after some of the alleged abuses and following a PSNI investigation, Liam Adams was to face 23 court charges - but he went missing.

In a statement Gerry Adams said he should make himself available to the authorities and that his alleged victim must get justice.

[Minder]

Saw that and found it a bit peculiar. The family of Adams brother were blaming Gerry and alluding that he knows where his brother is.

[pintsofguinness]

Just watched it on the website.  Hope they get the **** but it seems a bit strange.  Seems to be like a very desperate attempt by UTV to embarrass Gerry Adams. 

The sensational "he knew about it for 20 years".     Don't think you could fault gerry's actions in any of that yet they seemed very concerned with trying to catch him out and blame him in some way.

[Ulick]

Not just UTV, it was front page of  the Irish News this morning. Smacks of a story they ran a few years ago when a Glen Rd lad died on the pitch - they couldn't wait to remind us about the sins of the father. Gutter press...

[Minder]

Not just UTV, it was front page of  the Irish News this morning. Smacks of a story they ran a few years ago when a Glen Rd lad died on the pitch - they couldn't wait to remind us about the sins of the father. Gutter press...

In fairness the family must have instigated this on some way and obviously agreed to do the tv show.

[pintsofguinness]

Not just UTV, it was front page of  the Irish News this morning. Smacks of a story they ran a few years ago when a Glen Rd lad died on the pitch - they couldn't wait to remind us about the sins of the father. Gutter press...

In fairness the family must have instigated this on some way and obviously agreed to do the tv show.

The girl was used minder, do you think UTV care about getting justice for her? 

[Minder]

Not just UTV, it was front page of  the Irish News this morning. Smacks of a story they ran a few years ago when a Glen Rd lad died on the pitch - they couldn't wait to remind us about the sins of the father. Gutter press...

In fairness the family must have instigated this on some way and obviously agreed to do the tv show.

The girl was used minder, do you think UTV care about getting justice for her?

Of course they don't but every media outlet, be it news, current affairs programmes or newspapers are the same. The more emotive the subject the higher the ratings/sales.

[Hurler on the Bitch]

This will grow and grow. I'm sure the sticky-infested Sunday World will be scouring the scum-filled kennels trying to get something on the 'bearded one'. However, this does have the potential, if he was in the 'know', to do serious damage - in a Bishop of Limerick scenario, to GA.

[pintsofguinness]

This will grow and grow. I'm sure the sticky-infested Sunday World will be scouring the scum-filled kennels trying to get something on the 'bearded one'. However, this does have the potential, if he was in the 'know', to do serious damage - in a Bishop of Limerick scenario, to GA.

Funny how they'll all go after Adams (who doesnt seem to have done anything wrong) when the RUC weren't too interested.

[Ulick]

This will grow and grow. I'm sure the sticky-infested Sunday World will be scouring the scum-filled kennels trying to get something on the 'bearded one'. However, this does have the potential, if he was in the 'know', to do serious damage - in a Bishop of Limerick scenario, to GA.

What do mean "in the know"? Was Gerry there smacking the brothers back while he was raping untold numbers of children? Wise up...

[Oldhacker]

Uliick and Minder may not have read the story in the paper this morning, but it was pretty clearly based on a statement released by Gerry Adams. Rather than blame the paper for publishing it, they might consider why he felt he needed to say what he said in the first place. The link with the Chicago case from 2002 is a bit of a stretch.

[pintsofguinness]

Uliick and Minder may not have read the story in the paper this morning, but it was pretty clearly based on a statement released by Gerry Adams. Rather than blame the paper for publishing it, they might consider why he felt he needed to say what he said in the first place. The link with the Chicago case from 2002 is a bit of a stretch.

Who knew his niece was going public and knew people were going to line up to attack him, of course he's going to release a statement. 

[Ulick]

I stopped buying that rag since the "Chicago case from 2002", Oldhacker. Just read the front page in the shop today. Perhaps you'd like to fill us in?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Good man Gerry (from the Irish Times):

Adams's brother in abuse inquiry
GERRY MORIARTY, Northern Editor

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has urged his brother Liam Adams to hand himself over to the PSNI to answer allegations that he sexually abused his daughter.

The Sinn Fein president's niece Aine Tyrell waived her right to anonymity on UTV's Insight   programme tonight to make the allegations of child sex abuse against her father Liam Adams, a former IRA prisoner.

Gerry Adams said he had already been in contact with the PNSI and if he knew he would inform the PSNI about the whereabouts of his brother Liam so that he could answer the allegations.

"I haven't had any contact with him," said the Sinn Féin president.

"I mean not only have I went to the PSNI — if I knew where he was and Liam knows this, Liam knows if I knew where he was that I would tell the PSNI," he added.

The PSNI today confirmed that warrants were issued for the arrest of Liam Adams to answer allegations of rape, indecent assault and gross indecency after he failed to attend a preliminary inquiry into the allegations at a Belfast court more than a year ago.

Ms Tyrell (36), who identified herself by her married name, alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse from when she was about four in 1977 and that the abuse lasted for eight years. She also said that the Sinn Féin president knew about the allegations against Liam Adams for just over 20 years.

Her mother Sally Campbell said she was physically abused by her estranged husband Liam Adams but that she got some respite from this when he was jailed for IRA membership, not long after Aine's birth. Later on his release the alleged abuse against Aine began.

The programme reported that around 1987 Ms Tyrell and her mother Sally went to the police to make the allegations against her father.

According to the programme, her mother said the RUC seemed "more interested in recruiting her as an informer than dealing with Aine's abusing father".

Medical tests were taken and social services were also informed and documentary evidence of these tests and contacts are still on file, according to Insight .

The programme also reported that at the time because so few in the local nationalist community recognised the legitimacy of the RUC that "under pressure" Ms Tyrell didn't proceed with the case. The statements, however, are still on file and Ms Tyrell believes these can be used to prove her allegations against her father.

Ms Tyrell said at some meetings on the issue with the Sinn Féin president she felt they were "turning into Liam was the victim, you know, our Liam, yes, our Liam can't deal with what he did to you, that's why our Liam's sick in the head now, our Liam can't cope with life".

The Sinn Féin president said he accepted the truth of Ms Tyrell's allegations. "From the very beginning I believed Aine," he told Insight  reporter Chris Moore.

"Now Aine was about 14 at the time, she was a wee kid, but she was always a very good wee girl and always, you know, I, I just couldn't imagine a child like her making up such a serious allegation."

"And although I didn't have you know the, the, the awful details of the, the wrong that was done to her, I think it was doubly done by Liam refusing, called her a liar, and denying emphatically that he had done any wrong," added Mr Adams.

"Aine in this case is the direct victim, but child abuse has a whole ripple of other victims. You know for me it's like, you know, a permanent bereavement," he said.

Mr Adams said on two occasions he tried but ultimately failed to create the circumstances where Liam Adams would come forward and face the allegations of his daughter.

[Oldhacker]

PoG, he issued his statement before and not after the UTV programme was screened. Uliick has not explained why a party leader clarifying his position on a serious issue can be compared to what happened in Chicago.