During the trial of Liam Adams, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams denied that he went to the police after nine years of child abuse allegations against his brother to save his political career.

Aine Adams, 40, has accused her father Liam Adams of abusing her from when she was four until about nineteen years old, between 1977 and 1983. Liam Adams is accused on ten charges of child sex abuse including rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency. He denied all the charges against him.

Gerry Adams was sworn in as a prosecution witness and his testimony lasted almost four hours. He repeatedly denied allegations that he wanted to avoid claims that he wanted to withhold information about child sex abuse.

Defence attorney Eilis McDermott QC questioned Gerry Adams during cross examination and she asked him why he waited until 2009 to tell detectives about his brother’s alleged admission in 2000 when they were in Dundalk. McDermott pointed out that Gerry Adams came forward only a month before the premiere of a television programme about child abuse claims.

By his solicitor’s advice, Gerry Adams made two separate statements to the police, one in 2007 and another in 2009. McDermott said, “The statement came in two parts- two months and four months apart- and just one month before you were interviewed by a television journalist.”

The Belfast Telegraph quoted her, “I am suggesting that the reason you made this statement was to save your political skin.”

Gerry Adams responded, “If I had been interested in saving my political skin I would not have got involved with the process at the beginning. I tried to fulfill my responsibility as an uncle to a young woman I am very fond of. This is above politics and saving my political skin had no consideration in any of these matters.”

According to the Guardian, McDermott suggested that Liam Adams’ admission to Gerry Adams did not actually happen. She told Gerry Adams, “You say that your brother made an admission to you in 2000 walking in the rain in Dundalk. I should make it clear to you that I suggest that no such admission was made.”

Gerry Adams says that he knew nothing about Aine Adams’ claims of rape against her father for twenty years.

The trial is at Belfast Crown Court and is still ongoing.