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Journalist says she took 'utmost care' in Adams allegation

Julian O'Neill
BBC News NI crime and justice correspondent
PA Media Gerry Adams, with grey hair and a grey beard, wearing a navy suit, blue shirt and red tie. He is wearing round orange glasses. The background of the image is blurred. PA Media
Gerry Adams pictured outside the the High Court in Dublin on Tuesday

The journalist who made the BBC Spotlight programme at the centre of a libel action by Gerry Adams has said she took the "utmost care" in reporting the allegation he sanctioned the murder of a British agent.

Jennifer O'Leary was giving evidence at the High Court in Dublin on Wednesday.

The former Sinn Féin leader is suing the BBC over the 2016 programme and an accompanying online article.

He denies the allegation, made by an anonymous contributor called Martin, that he gave the go ahead for Denis Donaldson's killing in 2006.

Claim 'corroborated'

Spotlight claimed it was carried out by the Provisional IRA, although the dissident group the Real IRA itted responsibility three years later.

Ms O'Leary was cross-examined by counsel for Mr Adams, Tom Hogan.

She told him she did not treat the allegation "willy-nilly".

Ms O'Leary stated she had more than 60 meetings after interviewing Martin and had his claim "corroborated" by five other sources, although they did not appear in the broadcast.

"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't stand over the programme," she said.

PA Ms O'Leary has long light brown hair and blue eyes. She has black sunglasses on her head as she is pictured outside the court. She is wearing a navy style trench coat. She is also wearing make-up with light pink lipstick.PA
Jennifer O'Leary pictured outside Dublin High Court on Tuesday

Mr Hogan put it to her she was defending her journalism, but not the truth of the allegation against Mr Adams.

She replied: "I'm here defending the allegation that Martin made on the basis of five additional sources.

"The points of law on which the case is being defended are points of law."

She went on: "An allegation is an allegation.

"Any reasonable person watching the programme would know we are making an allegation.

"Straight after the allegation was made we reflected Mr Adams' denial."

Draft script

Ms O'Leary was questioned about a draft script of the programme which included a Donaldson family statement accepting the Provisional IRA's denial of involvement and blaming the police for failing to protect him.

Mr Hogan claimed it was removed from the final broadcast as it would have "taken away" from the allegation against Mr Adams.

Ms O'Leary said it was not unusual for scripts to change and that the programme was focused on what she had investigated.

At one point Mr Justice Alexander Owens asked: "Did you yank this out in order to make the allegation against Mr Adams a bit bigger? To give it beef":[]}