NI: Gerry Adams granted permission to appeal to UKSC in bid to overturn 1970s convictions
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Gerry Adams
Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has been granted permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court in a bid to overturn his convictions in the 1970s for attempting to escape from internment.
He has argued that the interim custody order (ICO) made under the Detention of Terrorists (NI) Order 1972 against him in 1973 was invalid because it was not signed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Mr Adams was detained under the ICO on 21 July 1973. A detention order was later made on 16 May 1974, continuing his detention.
He made two escape attempts, in December 1973 and July 1974, for which he was sentenced to 18-months and three years’ imprisonment respectively.
Mr Adams did not appeal against either conviction, but is now seeking to overturn them by showing that his interment was unlawful.
The Court of Appeal in Belfast dismissed his appeal in February.
The UK Supreme Court will now consider the key question, namely whether a decision to make an interim custody order under the 1972 Order is rendered invalid by the fact that it was made by the Minister of State and not personally made by the Secretary of State.
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