Judge orders BBC to pay €50k damages and €250k costs to Gerry Adams pending appeal

The legal costs of the defamation action by Gerry Adams (pictured) has been estimated at up to €3 million for the 21-day action.

A High Court judge has directed the BBC to pay €50,000 damages, plus €250,000 legal costs, to former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams pending a possible appeal by the broadcaster against the full costs and damages orders made in his defamation case.

On those conditions, Mr Justice Alexander Owens agreed on Tuesday to give the BBC a stay on payment of the full €100,000 damages awarded to Mr Adams by a High Court jury. The stay also applies to the judge’s order for the BBC to pay Mr Adams legal costs, estimated at up to €3m.