Gerry Adams tells defamation trial that BBC programme was an 'attempted hatchet job'

The former Sinn Féin president told the court he considers 'Denis Donaldson was a victim of the conflict'

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams (pictured) said that he 'liked the guy', and knew Mr Donaldson and his wife and daughter.

Murdered British informant Denis Donaldson was a “victim” of the conflict in Northern Ireland, and was viewed by his security service handlers as “expendable”, Gerry Adams has told the High Court.

The former Sinn Féin leader was giving evidence on the second day of the civil trial hearing into his defamation action against the BBC. Mr Adams claims a BBC Spotlight programme and related article published in 2016 falsely accused him of sanctioning the 2006 killing of MI5 agent Mr Donaldson. The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams.