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Court adjourns Liam Adams case

Liam Adams walks from the Bridewell Garda station to the High Court in Dublin last week. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times

Liam Adams, the brother of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, was before the High Court today for the first stage in an extradition hearing.

The 54-year-old appeared in court last Thursday over an attempt to extradite him to the North on 18 charges of the sexual abuse of his daughter, Aine Tyrell, including multiple counts of rape.

Mr Adams (54) with a previous address at Bernagh Avenue, Belfast, denies the charges and is contesting his extradition. He is facing five counts of rape, seven of indecent assault and six of gross indecency.

His barrister, Caroline Cummings, today requested an adjournment. Mr Justice Paul Butler heard that his was a recent arrest and the State made no objection. He remanded Mr Adams on continuing bail until April 21st.

It is claimed the offences occurred at various addresses in Belfast between March 1977 and March 1983 when the alleged victim was aged between four and 10 years. It is alleged some of the offences occurred when Ms Tyrell’s mother was out of the family’s house.

It is also alleged Ms Tyrell was abused while her mother was in hospital giving birth and at a flat Mr Adams moved into after leaving the family home.

The complaints were again made in 2006. Mr Adams was questioned by the PSNI and denied the charges. In January 2008 a decision was made in the North to prosecute Mr Adams.

However, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were unable to locate him. He voluntarily handed himself to Sligo Garda station last December but was not arrested at the time because there were no European arrest warrant in existence.

Mr Adams turned himself into gardaí in Dublin last Thursday after a European Arrest Warrant was issued by the PSNI.