A solicitor representing three victims of the IRA is being threatened with legal action around comments he made in relation to his clients’ civil case against Gerry Adams.
Matthew Jury, of McCue Jury & Partners, is facing the action brought by London-based Howe and Co Solicitors.
The firm acted on behalf of the former Sinn Fein president in the civil case but confirmed in a statement Mr Adams “had nothing to do” with the defamation action.
The firm alleged that comments made by Mr Jury in a press release following a High Court judgment in January were defamatory about their practice.
In January, the High Court ruled that three victims of IRA bombings in London and Manchester can sue Mr Adams in a personal capacity for damages.
John Clark, a victim of the Old Bailey bombing in March 1973, brought forward the case alongside Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock.
Mr Ganesh is a victim of the London Docklands bombing in February 1996, with Mr Laycock a victim of the June 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester.
At the time of the ruling, Mr Justice Soole determined that the three victims cannot sue the IRA itself or the former Sinn Fein leader as a “representative” of the paramilitary group, but that claims against Mr Adams in a personal capacity would continue.
Mr Adams has always denied any membership of the IRA and has refuted any involvement in its terror campaign during the decades of the Troubles. He has never been prosecuted for links with any of the group’s activities.
Commenting on the ruling at the time, Mr Jury’s firm issued a statement saying that: “Adams and his legal team’s apparent attempt to intimidate them [the claimants] into withdrawing their claims has, rightly failed and their case will continue.”
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Northern Ireland/UK: IRA victims’ solicitor facing defamation claim by firm representing Gerry Adams
