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Cahair O’Kane
Former UTV
HQ demolition
work begins
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Judge slams Kelly over
‘scandalous, frivolous
and vexatious’ libel case
23 Post
Office staff
pursued by
police in
north since
Horizon
After a 4-year ordeal, writer Malachi O’Doherty urges journalists not to be intimidated ‘by frequency with
which writs are flying’ after third action brought by a senior Sinn Féin figure ends unfavourably for party
C
A
JOHN BRESLIN
j.breslin@irishnews.com
over
UTHOR
nalist
has
would
to
be
Sinn
Féin
jour-
Malachi
herty
“not
and
urge
after
a
claim
against
Kelly
as
him
Gerry
“scandalous,
frivo-
prosecuted
two
Horizon
system
Ireland
decades
was
from
comput-
rst
installed
of
offences
following
investigations by the PSNI and
decisions by the Public Prose-
PAUL AINSWORTH
cution Service (PPS). Two convictions are publicly known to
p.ainsworth@irishnews.com
lous and vexatious”.
The
were
Northern
the
victed
High
by
in
dozen
employ-
Nineteen people were con-
by
Court judge dismissed a libel
ees
two
Ofce
across the UK.
people
intimidated”
writs
er
he
to
Post
the
when
O’Do-
said
LOSE
have been overturned so far.
commentator
has
Hundreds
by
“common design”, regardless
the Post Ofce are both the in-
famed the North Belfast MLA
of
vestigators
in
ofcer.
comments
made
on
de-
BBC
the
MLA
who
Radio Ulster and U105 in 2019,
books
demonstrated
red
the
shot
at
were
a
charged
operators
letter
had
the
convicted
which began with a solicitor’s
he
in
of
Maze
claiming
escape
and
spoken of his four-year ordeal
in England and Wales, where
the
and
prosecutors.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer
“An
incorrect
allegation
yesterday called for the com-
in which Mr O’Doherty alleged
that he had shot a prison of-
pany
Mr
cer
government to be stripped of
Kelly
had
shot
a
prison
in
the
warder in the head during the
have
mass
reputation
break-out
of
the
Maze
head
damaged
would
Mr
not
Kelly’s
because
that
wholly-owned
But the PSNI and the Pub-
tion would have been within
lic
The MLA had been acquit-
the range of possible actions
those
which
ofcer John Adams following
been
a trial in 1987.
the pursuit of his objectives,”
2019.
the judge said.
known
defamation
stated
Mr
gravely
damaged
action
O’Doherty
Mr
had
Kelly’s
Mr
the
Kelly
to
Kelly
ruling
might
carry
has
as
a
have
Prosecution
ted of the shooting of prison
The
Mr
out
time to study it with my legal
standing
as
a
re-
spected public representative
However, in a stinging, ex-
is
the
third
months
day, High Court judge Master
brought
Evan Bell dismissed the case,
gures
which he said was a so-called
ably
for
Slapp
rst
minister
(Strategic
Lawsuits
Against Public Protection) ac-
chelle
tion, leaving Mr Kelly facing a
substantial bill for legal costs.
The judge referred to Mr
Kelly’s
ing
autobiographies,
the
description
Business
of
saythe
that
in
court
Sinn
has
ended
unfavour-
the
O’Neill
claimants,
designate
is
how
not
immediately
many
or
were
how
sub
many
cases
suggest
there
was
November
also
saw
the
Speaking to the BBC yes-
High Court in Dublin dismiss
terday
a
sion
libel
case
brought
by
Ms
of
following
his
O’Neill’s former special advis-
O’Doherty
Mi-
er
at
is
last
of
Agriculture,
Stormont’s
Department
that
ordeal,
said:
concluMalachy
“The
journalists
danger
may
be
by Post Ofce investigators.
Further, Lady Chief Justice
Dame
Siobhan
Keegan,
over-
turning a conviction, said the
fact
that
details
about
Hori-
month by a High Court judge
who claimed he was defamed
cal about Sinn Féin members
closed left the matter with a
that
receiving
by the Sunday Life newspaper
because of the frequency with
“sense of unease”.
no damages for social media
in 2020 over photos published
which writs are ying.
comments made by a former
of him attending a Sinn Féin
DUP councillor in 2021.
Christmas party.
be
Liam
the
Gerry Kelly, above, had claimed
Malachi O’Doherty had gravely
damaged his character and
reputation, and called his
standing as a respected public
representative into disrepute
wary of saying anything criti-
would
told
with
It
Lappin,
she
being
Féin
Ofce
tion gathered and passed on
action
senior
Post
too much reliance on informa-
recent
by
north
Sources close to some of
dismissal
time
tensive 55-page ruling yester-
23
have
the
or Horizon
the
Yesterday’s
Service
in
cases related to alleged fraud
advisor.”
into disrepute.
pursued
postmasters
“substantive
called
powers
employees between 1999 and
described
judgment”, adding: “I will take
his
and
in
character and reputation, and
the
those powers.
ac-
Prison by IRA inmates in 1983.
willing
by
Full stor y P10
“I would urge people not
to be intimidated.”
12 pages of business news and analysis
zon’s IT issues were not dis-
Mar y Kelly P15
Fur ther repor ts P4,5
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