Belfast Telegraph Northern Ireland Gerry Kelly libel case against Ruth Dudley Edwards struck out in another financial blow to SF MLA Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Ruth Dudley Edwards Ruth Dudley Edwards
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Brett Campbell Yesterday at 22:40 Journalist Ruth Dudley Edwards has been informed by her solicitor that Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has been ordered to pay her legal costs after his libel case against her was struck out of court. The columnist welcomed the “considerable development” and described it as “a very good outcome”.
It comes almost five months after a senior judge threw out a “scandalous, frivolous and vexatious” attempt by the convicted Old Bailey bomber to claim compensation from Belfast Telegraph columnist Malachy O’Doherty, after the author said the Policing Board member shot a prison warder in the head during the IRA's 1983 Maze Prison escape.
Read more SF’s Gerry Kelly facing huge financial hit as he opts not to appeal stinging libel verdict Ms Dudley Edwards made a similar claim, which prompted the North Belfast MLA to initiate defamation proceedings against her a number of years ago.
"That’s the game Sinn Fein plays – I’ve had other letters threatening lawsuits from Michelle O’Neill and John Finucane, Ms Dudley Edwards said.
"There is an outstanding case in a Dublin court taken by Sinn Fein constituency organiser Liam Lappin.
"The idea is to shut one up, but I don’t give into those things – I’m very stubborn as it happens.
"I have found they are banking on you giving in. If you don’t and they realise you are going to go all the way – which could be embarrassing for them – they tend to fade away.
Ruth Dudley Edwards Ruth Dudley Edwards
"I’m fortunate in that I don’t actually say things that are not true.”
The judge in Mr O’Doherty’s case found that Mr Kelly was someone who a right-thinking person would view as having “lost his moral compass” because he had exploded car bombs in the centre of London, something he still defends doing.
Master Bell referred to a criminal trial in 1988 when Mr Kelly had been acquitted of shooting prison officer John Henry Adams during the Maze Prison escape and noted the words of the trial judge at the time.
Lord Lowry had said: “There is clearly a prima facie case on counts 21 and 22 [the attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm of the prison officer] against Kelly.
"But there are a great many awkward questions about inconsistencies and discrepancies… I cannot conscientiously be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Kelly is the right man. He may well be, but that is not enough.”
Master Bell continued: “The fact that a person is acquitted in criminal proceedings regarding a shooting of a victim does not, nevertheless, bring to an end all determinations as to his legal liability for the shooting…
"One of the most significant differences between criminal and civil proceedings is the standard of proof.”
Ms Dudley Edwards said she has always been “confident she was on solid ground”.
Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland
Gerry Kelly libel case against Ruth Dudley Edwards struck out in another financial blow to SF MLA
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Ruth Dudley Edwards
Ruth Dudley Edwards
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly
Brett Campbell
Yesterday at 22:40
Journalist Ruth Dudley Edwards has been informed by her solicitor that Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has been ordered to pay her legal costs after his libel case against her was struck out of court.
The columnist welcomed the “considerable development” and described it as “a very good outcome”.
It comes almost five months after a senior judge threw out a “scandalous, frivolous and vexatious” attempt by the convicted Old Bailey bomber to claim compensation from Belfast Telegraph columnist Malachy O’Doherty, after the author said the Policing Board member shot a prison warder in the head during the IRA's 1983 Maze Prison escape.
Read more
SF’s Gerry Kelly facing huge financial hit as he opts not to appeal stinging libel verdict
Ms Dudley Edwards made a similar claim, which prompted the North Belfast MLA to initiate defamation proceedings against her a number of years ago.
"That’s the game Sinn Fein plays – I’ve had other letters threatening lawsuits from Michelle O’Neill and John Finucane, Ms Dudley Edwards said.
"There is an outstanding case in a Dublin court taken by Sinn Fein constituency organiser Liam Lappin.
"The idea is to shut one up, but I don’t give into those things – I’m very stubborn as it happens.
"I have found they are banking on you giving in. If you don’t and they realise you are going to go all the way – which could be embarrassing for them – they tend to fade away.
Ruth Dudley Edwards
Ruth Dudley Edwards
"I’m fortunate in that I don’t actually say things that are not true.”
The judge in Mr O’Doherty’s case found that Mr Kelly was someone who a right-thinking person would view as having “lost his moral compass” because he had exploded car bombs in the centre of London, something he still defends doing.
Master Bell referred to a criminal trial in 1988 when Mr Kelly had been acquitted of shooting prison officer John Henry Adams during the Maze Prison escape and noted the words of the trial judge at the time.
Lord Lowry had said: “There is clearly a prima facie case on counts 21 and 22 [the attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm of the prison officer] against Kelly.
"But there are a great many awkward questions about inconsistencies and discrepancies… I cannot conscientiously be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Kelly is the right man. He may well be, but that is not enough.”
Master Bell continued: “The fact that a person is acquitted in criminal proceedings regarding a shooting of a victim does not, nevertheless, bring to an end all determinations as to his legal liability for the shooting…
"One of the most significant differences between criminal and civil proceedings is the standard of proof.”
Ms Dudley Edwards said she has always been “confident she was on solid ground”.
"I am a historian by training and I do check facts,” she added.
"I would never knowingly say something that isn’t true.
"This is something that has repeatedly been put to Mr Kelly on radio and TV panels and he has never protested his innocence.
"He has also never sued a radio or television station."
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly. Pic by Liam McBurney/PA.
Ms Dudley Edwards said it “is no coincidence” that Mr Kelly chose to initiate proceedings against freelance writers who lack the financial and legal prowess of large corporations.
"Sinn Fein really, really don’t like criticism,” she added.
"They have a lot of access to lawyers and have managed to deter criticism by sending threatening letters.
"People like Malachy and I are very vulnerable, so Gerry Kelly had reason to think we would just go away."
The writer hopes Mr Kelly will learn from his “very expensive mistake” as she questioned where he will get the money to pay the “substantial fees”.
"There are two sets of lawyer fees in each case.
"I have no idea if Sinn Fein manage to get discount from friends, but my fees are substantial and I don’t use expensive lawyers.”
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has previously denied there was a policy in the party to take legal actions for defamation against individuals in the media – cases often referred to as SLAPPs (Strategic lawsuits against public participation).
Ms McDonald said that “when a line is crossed… people have the right to use the mechanisms available to them to vindicate their name”.
However, Ms Dudley Edwards said Mr Kelly “doesn’t earn enough money as an MLA” to pay the hefty bills he has accumulated.
She also vowed to remain committed to free speech.
by Gazmac_868855