Three victims of IRA bombings who sued former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams have withdrawn their lawsuit on the last day of the civil trial. The claimants, John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, were injured in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing and the 1996 London Docklands and Manchester bombings respectively. They sought symbolic damages of £1 each, alleging Adams was a member of the IRA and sat on its army council.
On Friday, the ninth day of the trial, the claimants' lawyer, Anne Studd KC, told the High Court the claim would be discontinued after 'proceedings developed overnight'. The reason related to an argument around 'abuse of process', though the judge, Mr Justice Swift, intervened to prevent further details in court. Adams, who was not present, welcomed the end of the case, calling it 'an emphatic end to a case that should never have been brought'.
Adams denied being a member of the IRA or involvement in bombings. His lawyer, Edward Craven KC, argued the claim was brought to compel a 'public-inquiry-style examination' of Adams's alleged IRA involvement over decades, with little direct evidence linking him to the three bombings. He suggested the case was driven by the claimants' solicitors, McCue Jury.
Barry Laycock expressed devastation but said the team had 'achieved something that successive governments have failed to do'. McCue Jury stated the discontinuation was due to the judge's 'extraordinary' decision to invite submissions on abuse of process, which could have led to their clients being liable for costs. They accepted an offer from Adams to 'drop hands', with each party bearing their own costs.
