Gerry Adams

Yes! Greatnan. Wasn't his brother convicted some time ago but no one was sure whether Gery Adams knew about it?

What!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently his brother confessed to him and he still allowed it to continue. The police are considering bringing charges for something like suppression of evidence of a crime. Could this be the thing that finally puts him where he belongs - behind bars?

I read about that a few days ago, and was disgusted. What on earth was he thinking, to allow his niece to continue to be harmed? Couldn't he at least have tried to protect her from him?

Not so long ago it seems

Disgusting.

Aine Adams has been extremely courageous in coming forward and confronting this situation; especially so as she must have known the court case would be conducted in a blaze of publicity. Now I think she should be consulted as to what she thinks would be an appropriate outcome for Gerry Adams - after all, she has the facts first hand regarding who knew what and when. In my opinion whatever brings her the most peace in this situation is what should be done.

grannya I agree totally with your last sentence.

I agree with your concern for Aine grannya, but this case raises serious issues about child protection. It would not be appropriate for future action to be dependent only on her wishes and feelings. I don't know the detail, but Gerry A seems to suggest that she didn't want the police involved when she first spoke to him, she wanted her father to acknowledge he had abused her. By colluding in keeping a family secret, Adams should have known he was leaving his brother free to continue to abuse his daughter,and other children.

I have always been concerned about GA's lack of emotion, his ability to lie convincingly. I believe his actions in all areas are governed by his own needs, and that is what happened when his niece approached him for advice and support.

He appeared to live very nicely on benefits before he graciously decided to accept his MPs pay without contributing in Westminster. A vile man.

It really beggars belief that this man,would stand by whilst his brother carried out this abuse of his daughter. I never did like or trust GA.

So much agreement on here about GA. I live in hope that fears that the peace process will be de-railed if he is ever arrested for crimes he is strongly linked to don't continue to stop him facing the consequences of his actions. berdie- a vile man isn't a phrase I'd have chosen, but it describes my feelings about him.

Hang on folks. In England isn't there a presumption of innocence? Are we condemning a man before a trial?
At the moment it is only alleged that he knew!

Galen, todays papers indicate he knew in 1987 and that his brother confessed his guilt to him in 2000. I don't know the age of the young woman, or whether the abuse continued after 1987 but by taking no action in 2000, GA left his brother free to continue to abuse children.
I feel his behaviour here mirrors his behaviour at other times. It's all about him. I wish I didn't feel like this, because the peace process is so important. But I have always felt there is 'something of the night' about him.

I read the transcript of his cross-examination last night - over 50 pages long. He was deceitful throughout. I Googled it and found it easily. If someone is elected to represent his constituency and can like and bluster like that, he has no business being in such a powerful job.

I'll try and find it When. I read his father was a violent man who sexually abused within his family. This doesn't excuse Liam or GA's adult behaviour, but it raises all manner of other issues. Keeping the secret in the family is something those of us who've worked with such abusive men (and occasionally women ) will be familiar with.

......should say 'lie and bluster' in my post.

Adams knew after the ten years of abuse not during the ten years, his niece was a teenager , is it not possible he remained silent because his niece did not want the abuse to be made public ? I don't know , but we do know some children love the parent who abuses them even though hating the abuse. His niece was in her thirties when this came to court

Did not one Nolan sister only speak of her abuse after their fathers death?

We are still reluctance to acknowledge that sexual abuse by parents is far more widespread than the numbers who are prosecuted

Probably true wheim64 but how many politicians would we have left if we chucked out all those who lied and blustered?

Is it the newspapers who have brought this to light? The fragile peace in NI is the most important thing. Really would n' t want to see that messed up. Not even to sell newspapers.

Better to have let it lie perhaps.

I wonder how his niece feels about her abuse being made public.

I hope that not many British MPs have ordered and/or sanctioned murder.

Anniebach - the victim and her mother went to the police in 1987, when the child was 13 years old. Her father denied abusing her, there was no prosecution. In 2000, Liam confessed to his brother, Gerry Adams, that he had sexually abused his daughter. GA didn't make a statement to the police about this confession until 2009, by which time his niece had spoken about her abuse experience on tv. (information from BBC news page)

J08 - the victim brought this to light by going back to the police. She clearly didn't want to let it lie and the process must have been both exhausting and distressing for her, and her loved ones.

Yes, the peace in NI is important, but does that mean that a child who was first raped at the age of 4, should not be given the opportunity to see her abuser face justice.

We all have responsibilities to keep children safe, and to take appropriate action if we suspect/fear that they aren't. This discussion should encourage all of us to think carefully about how we would (or did) respond when something like this happens within our own families.

Greatnan when only mentioned 'lie and bluster'and I was responding to that.

As for your comment about not many politicians ordering and sanctioning murder, I am assuming you don't count invading other countries and killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians!