01/10/2013 BBC Newsline

Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline.

Fein president, is found guilty of raping his daughter more than 30

years ago. One of the mess bridge stooges cycling races is coming here

next year. -- one of the most prestigious races is coming here

next year. Face-to-face with the drugs problem in our prisons. I went

into the cell. The smell was quite strong. The young man was of his

head. The Dungannon woman accused of drug smuggling is in court again.

The latest from our reporter in Peru. The European Cup in turmoil.

We hear what the Irish provinces make of the current rugby crisis.

And a damp old start to October with more heavy rain in the forecast over

the next couple of days, bringing the threat of localised flooding.

First, our main story, and the brother of the Sinn Fein President

Gerry Adams has been found guilty of raping and abusing a daughter more

than 30 years ago. 58-year-old Liam Adams from Belfast had denied ten

charges of rape, indecent assault and gross indecency against his

daughter Aine, who had waived her right to anonymity. Today, a jury

decided he was guilty of all of them. Will Leitch was in the court

for BBC Newsline. Liam Adams walk through the morning

rain into court in Belfast, knowing the jury would be trying to decide

if he had raped and sexually assaulted his daughter on your Adams

when she was less than ten, from 1977 to 1983. She had told her

mother Sally about it in 1996 and a statement was made in 1987. That was

never pursued. They'd confronted Liam Adams that March. Liam's elder

brother confronted him, too. Liam Adams denied it. He denied it when

the police arrested him in 2007 in connection with these allegations.

He fought extradition from the Irish Republic to Northern Ireland in

2011. He denied it in court this year. And he denied it consistently

during this trial. For his part, Gerry Adams had publicly supported

his niece. In an earlier trial this year, he had testified. But Gerry

Adams was not called as a witness in this trial. Liam Adams knew that the

jury would be deciding if they believed his denials and the defence

case. They didn't. After four hours and ten minutes, the jury returned

to court as the ten counts were read out, the foreman said each time,

"guilty." As Aine and her family held hands and sobbed, the judge

ordered Liam Adams to be so down. Aine was accompanied by her family

as the police officer in front of the reporters read out a statement.

I do not think this is a celebration. It has caused anguish

to all of those involved. I can now begin my life at 40. And later

arrested the memory of the five-year-old girl who was abused.

In the year since all of this began, Liam Adams split from his first wife

and, despite some meetings over the years, is largely estranged from the

children of that marriage. He has been remanded in custody for

presentence reports. His daughter been remanded in custody for

Aine has said she wanted a father to admit to what he had done. A mother

herself, she will be picking up the pieces and going on with her life.

Her father will be paying the price for the way he lighted it. -- for

the way he lighted it. This case drew in the Sinn Fein

leader and shone a spotlight the Adams family. Unlike the first

trial, this time Gerry Adams did not appear in the witness box. From the

point his niece made her allegations until today's verdict, the affair

has over-shadowed the family of Ireland's longest serving political

leader. Our correspondent Shane Harrison has been looking at some of

leader. Our correspondent Shane the issues raised.

The funeral of Gerry Adams senior and a show of family and political

unity. But Gerry Adams Junior, the president of Sinn Fein, had been

aware for some time of two very dark family secrets. Since 1987, that his

brother Liam had sexually abused his young daughter, Aine, and since the

1990s, that his father was also an abuser. In 2009, the Sinn Fein

leader went public. In the Court of dealing with the issue of Aine and

the injustice done to her, a family member told me that they had been

abused. And I immediately brought all my siblings together. And we

tried to deal with that. Then I went and spoke to my father about it. I

confronted him. The nature of the abuse by your father, what was it?

It was physical. It was psychological and emotional. And it

was sexual. And one of the big questions is why didn't I notice

it? Brothers, sisters? I don't want to deal with the detail. The Sinn

Fein leader made those remarks at a time when his brother had fled south

to avoid charges of sexually abusing his daughter, Aine. Liam Adams was

later extradited. It was here on a rainy day while out for a walk in

later extradited. It was here on a 2000 that Gerry Adams says his

brother confessed to sexually abusing his daughter, but claimed it

only happened once. Seven years later, the Sinn Fein leader, after

his party had voted to accept the PSNI, made his first statement to

the police about the abuse allegation. He left in self open to

the accusation of withholding information. It wasn't until 2009,

nine years after that Liam Adams information. It wasn't until 2009,

reported admission, that Gerry Adams, in a second statement, told

the police that his brother had confessed. He said he didn't see

Liam Adams as a danger to children. All I know is that my concern was to

ensure that nobody else was going to be abused, that those who had been

ensure that nobody else was going to abused had all the support they

needed, and it wasn't up to me to be the person who decides what course

of action to take. They had to take their own decision. In the years

since Liam Adams reported admission to his brother, he worked at youth

centres in west Belfast where Gerry Adams was the MP, and Dundalk, and

the centre said that they were unaware of the allegations and that

the centre said that they were he had been police checked. They say

they were also unaware of Liam Adams reported admission to his brother

that he was a child sex abuser. Gerry Adams says that because of

Aine's accusation, she was estranged from his brother. And, that without

telling people why, he moved quickly to get him expelled from Sinn Fein.

During the first court case, Gerry to get him expelled from Sinn Fein.

Adams was shown several photographs of himself and his brother together.

He was asked about several references to Liam Adams in his

autobiography. The Sinn Fein leader denied lying about the extent of

their dealings, saying he had never said there was no contact. Liam

Adams at also not been expelled from Sinn Fein but was photographed and

written about in various articles in Dundalk and was involved in the

party in West Belfast. Gerry Adams has said he was unaware of his

party in West Belfast. Gerry Adams brother's Sinn Fein involvement in

the city, which she described as deplorable and reprehensible. The

first case collapsed for legal reasons in April. It is unlikely the

Sinn Fein leader will suffer at the polls. Most will probably see the

case as a family trauma. There is little question, though, that the

person who has suffered most trauma is the victim, the young girl whose

private torments to centre stage. The eyes of the cycling world will

be on Northern Ireland next May when the prestigious Giro d'Italia rolls

into town for its spectacular opening stages. The route is due to

be officially unveiled in Milan next week, but BBC News has exclusive

details of the proposed circuit which moves from Belfast to Dublin

over three days. Day one and it's the grand opening. The race leaves

the Titanic visitor centre, up the Newtownards Road, to Stormont. And

then the 22 kilometre time trial finishes at the City Hall. Day two

and the riders head north towards the Giant's Causeway via Ballymena.

They return to Belfast along the Antrim Coast Road. Stage 3, the

final day, and the route takes the cyclists from Armagh along a 187

final day, and the route takes the kilometre stage across the border

and ending up in Dublin. Kevin Magee has the full story.

has the The Giro d'Italia is one of the most

famous cycle races in the world and it begins in Northern Ireland next

May. The final route is due to be announced next week but here is a

cyclist side view of where the rich will go. We begin at the Titanic

building. It moves up to Newtownards Road, around the Stormont, and back

again into the city centre. A former champion cyclist owns a cycling shop

Newtownards Road. Would he have ever thought he would see the Giro

d'Italia? Never, in a million years. I've been in Italy, and I've seen

the Giro d'Italia, and they get -- and to get a part of it, it's

unbelievable. It's not going to be a bunch of cyclists going through.

These are some of the top pros in the world and it's unbelievable for

the people of Northern Ireland, for the Northern Ireland economy, for

tourism to be able to see our country that can support something

like this. They too will be a gruelling 200 kilometre circuit from

Belfast to Bushmills, taking the Giant's Causeway before returning

back down, through Lan and Carrickfergus back to both fast. Day

three, a cross-border section begins in Armagh, crossing and fall kills

before moving on to Dublin and home to Naples. Such is the interest in

the pink jersey, the grand opening in Belfast could be viewed in more

than 150 countries in the world. The riders will get a good few of the

east of the city on the first aid. The race will go up and down the

Newtownards Road. Not everybody is happy with the route. The MP for

West Belfast says his constituency is being ignored. I think it is very

unfair that West Belfast is not going to be touched. We live in this

part of city, lots of visitors come here every single week to look at

the whole culture of this part of the city. Yet, we are excluded. The

US to look at the whole culture of this part of the city. Yet, we are

excluded. The still the South down. this part of the city. Yet, we are

-- the SDLP called. It is the organisers who determine the route.

McCollum has made another appearance in court in Peru accused of trying

to smuggle £1.5 million worth of cocaine out of the country. The

20-year-old and her Scottish friend pleaded guilty to the charges last

week, hoping their admission would get any prospective prison sentence

reduced. But the prosecutors said they were not satisfied with their

pleas and asked for today's hearing to give them the chance to make a

more complete confession. Dan Collyns is reporting from the

Peruvian capital Lima for us. What happened at today's hearing? Well,

as we understand it, the hearing is still taking place. This is the

third court hearing for these two young women, and it is being held in

this present behind me. It is a private hearing and there is no

access to the press or public. These two women are being cross-examined

by a judge about their guilty pleas which they gave last Tuesday, and

those keys have been called into question by prosecutors who are

asking for more information, and are particularly questioning the version

of events they gave in August soon particularly questioning the version

after their arrest, in which they talk about being the worst by an

armed gang in I be the and being forced to carry the cocaine. What do

you think is going to happen next? Based on what happened today, and we

have not been given any information about what the judge has decided,

this will be crucial for these young women. We may see a sentencing

hearing later this month. It may take longer. The judge may ask for

more court hearings to hear more evidence but this is extremely

important. If the guilty pleas are accepted, they could get a reduced

sentence. If this is an accepted, eight years would be reduced to six

years and eight months. Still ahead on the programme: Find

out why it was an historic day for Markethill's cattle mart.

offender's prison in Belfast. The Criminal Justice Inspector Brendan

McGuigan says that, after eight Criminal Justice Inspector Brendan

years, he is raising many of the same issues with prison management,

years, he is raising many of the including excessive strip searching

of women and its approach to tackling drugs. As our Home Affairs

Correspondent Vincent Kearney reports, during one visit the

inspector saw for himself the extent of the drugs problem.

A new director general and new recruits were hailed as a bright new

future for the prison service, but many of the same old problems

remain. Just over 180 young men and up to 70 women are held at separate

facilities. When inspectors visited in February, they were far from

impressed. Disappointed and frustrated with the inspection

because we did not see the improvements that we would have

because we did not see the hoped for. In 2011 we believed that

the prisons had turned a corner, but actually on this inspection we found

they had regressed. Report published today make a combined 156

recommendations for improvement. Criticisms include a failure to

learn lessons from deaths in custody, and what is called

excessive strip searching of women prisoners. The director-general of

the prison service says that issue has been addressed. We have stopped

the routine strip searching of women prisoners. We now strip search women

prisoners on a risk basis, so where we think there is a need to do that.

We no longer do it routinely, so we have addressed that recommendation.

There is also criticism of the approach to tackling the drugs

problem in the two prisons. The inspectorate had first-hand

experience during their visit. We visited the segregation unit. Staff

at that stage were dealing with a young man who they had found smoking

dope. I went into the cell and the smell was quite strong, and the

dope. I went into the cell and the young man was of his head. I spoke

to him, I asked him why he was in the segregation unit. He was in it

for abusing drugs. I asked why he continued to abuse drugs, and he

indicated that this was the only way he could get through his time at the

prison. The prison service says tackling the drugs problem is a

priority, and that steps have already been taken in response to

what the inspectorate said. When it comes to reports criticising the

prison service here, it is like a case of deja vu. The two published

today are the latest in a long line of such reports. Each time, the

prison service says it will address the issues raised. Sue McAllister

says she believes the new management team will ensure a more positive

outcome the next and the inspectorate visits. We now have in

place a brand-new management team, including a new governor and Deputy

Governor. I have every confidence that in the next 12 months we will

be able to demonstrate real tangible, lasting improvements.

Inspectorate plan to return in the near future to assess progress.

11 men have appeared in court charged with arson following a fire

at a house in Dungannon on Friday charged with arson following a fire

night. They are charged with entering a property in the

Springdale estate in Dungannon armed with baseball bats and setting fire

Springdale estate in Dungannon armed to the house. The men who are from

Poland have been living in Dublin. A police officer said he believed the

attack was the result of dispute between two groups in the Polish

community. Bail was refused and the men were remanded in custody.

They're due in court again later this month.

The SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell says his party deeply regrets any

hurt and distress caused by the actions of its councillors in

supporting the naming of a Newry play park after IRA hunger striker

Raymond McCreesh. Speaking during an Assembly debate on local government,

Dr McDonnell said the play park had Assembly debate on local government,

been known by the hunger striker's name for a decade, but what might

have been understandable in local terms wasn't in wider terms.

Our representatives acted entirely terms wasn't in wider terms.

in good faith. It was not in their thinking or their intention to cause

any hurt to anyone, and yet hurt and distress was called the macro

course. The SDLP deeply regret that. We're familiar with out of town

developments and their impact on our town centres. Well, in County Armagh

today, for the first time in its history, Markethill was without a

market at its heart. The famous sale yard has moved to a new site a

couple of miles away. Gordon Adair the surroundings might be new, but

the trade is old, familiar, and this morning, brisk. These are the first

animals to be sold in Markethill's Newmarket. The thing about it,

though, is that it is not in Markethill. Sites like this make

sense. I suppose you could look at it that this is like an out-of-town

shopping centre, but hopefully it will leave a bit more room for

traders in the town. Tuesday is used to mean hustle, bustle and some

would say Kate Russell for Markethill. Today, there was nothing

but an eerie quiet. It is as if we have lost something. As kids, we

would look around and see the animals. Farmers, they do many

things. It has hit this town hard. There was an issue with many people

trying to get parked, to get their children home from school, but you

know, we have two depend on the farmer. The farmer is the person who

gives us our food to live. If they can't get a book into the mart to

turn it into beef on the counter, you know, it is a bit short-sighted.

The mart will be missed in the town. The fact that we have left and a few

months ago the bank closed at the top of the town, that created

footfall in the town, which I think will be missed. Whatever the rights

and wrongs of the move, one thing is for certain, it is the end of an era

for this rural town, and the beginning of a new one for its

farmers. With the latest on the Postel big

change facing European rugby's top club competition, the Heineken club,

Stephen Watson is here. All we know at this stage is that

the Heineken Cup will go ahead this season. What format it takes after

that is still very much up in the air. The French and English clubs

are threatening to break away to form a new tournament. They want a

bigger share of the teams involved and revenue. But the current

uncertainty is a distraction for the players, as Nikki Gregg reports.

This is a Heineken Cup loans with a difference. For once, the debate is

not about favourites, upsets, or who will be lifting silverware in

Cardiff next May, but whether the competition has a future.

Anglo-French plans for a breakaway tournament are gathering momentum.

It comes at a time when Irish provinces are negotiating new

contracts, and the task of holding on to star players and attracting

new signings is not being helped by uncertainty in Europe. It will have

new signings is not being helped by an influence. You want to play

against the best in the world, and if you are not going to get that

opportunity, it takes a bit away from you as a player and what you

want to achieve. The Heineken cup is a big part of the northern

hemisphere rugby and it is recognised worldwide. You want to

have a good European competition that complement the competition.

Hopefully this will be resolved. The English and French clubs argue that

it is easier for Celtic and Italian side to qualify for the existing

opposition. There is also disagreement about how revenue is

spent. Leinster manager was previously in charge of the Tigers,

and he says these issues have caused great frustration. It has always

been an issue for the English clubs. That was bandied around when

I was at Leinster. If we can tidy that up, we can work out who is

guaranteed, who is deserving of being in the top tournament, and

then it should be pretty easy to find solutions from that point on.

Today, the chief executive urged all parties to get around the table for

talks that will be held in Dublin later this month. He insists that

all sites must be willing to negotiate. The big Western is,

whether officials in France and England are still listening. -- the

big question is. Frank Dawson has resigned as the

manager of the Antrim gaelic football team after just one season

in charge. Antrim were relegated to Division Four of the Football League

and lost both their championship outings this year. Dawson had been

given a second season in charge by outings this year. Dawson had been

the county board in August. Today, he said he stepped down reluctantly

but said he felt the county board's ambitions did not match his own.

A year ago, Celtic beat Barcelona in one of the biggest upsets in the

Champions League. Today, that Catalan giants are welcomed back to

Glasgow in the same conversation, but the Barcelona line-up will not

include their superstar who is injured.

Jonathan Rea confirmed today that he's staying with his Honda team for

the World Superbike next season. Rea is currently recovering from a

broken leg he sustained while racing in Germany last month. He was lying

seventh in the championship before that injury.

Meanwhile, title challenger Eugene Laverty has confirmed to BBC

Newsline that he's holding talks with Ducati about a possible switch

up to MotoGP in 2014. He's also been looking at that option with his

current team Aprilia. Here's Angie with the weather

forecast. Welcome to October. It really has

been a dismal start to the month, and we are not out of the woods yet.

Over the next couple of days, there is more rain in the forecast, and

places it is going to be fairly heavy, and the winds are going to be

a feature as well. Certainly those wins today, particularly across

parts of the East Coast, were a feature today. Of course, they have

been feeding in those bands of showery rain throughout the course

of the day too. They did ease for a little while in the afternoon, we

have if you cluster starting to develop once again, so this evening

is overcast, breezy and damp. We are just watching that rain, which may

tempt more persistent and heavy across many parts through the night.

tempt more persistent and heavy The East will be mostly in the

tempt more persistent and heavy firing line. We are talking Antrim,

through Belfast, down into County Armagh. They could be seen up to 30

millimetres in some areas through the night. The Met office has issued

a cautionary rain warning. Big puddles and standing water on the

roads, and a risk of localised flooding as we head into the morning

rush hour for some. It'll be a windy day tomorrow, and pretty wet at

times. As we have already established, the wettest areas will

be in the morning. The West may get off to a dry start. By the time we

get too late morning, into the afternoon, even in the west we may

get some heavy showers developing. They are tracking eastwards, so

again the East areas will get bits and pieces of rain throughout the

day. A brisk southeasterly winds. Meanwhile, as those showers clear

from the west, we may see something a little bit brighter later in the

day, and the highs could reach 18 degrees. Still unsettled into

tomorrow night, and once again, the East looks like it is in the firing

line. All of us are at risk of some heavy spells of rain as we head into

Thursday, and those wins are still strong. But that could be the end of

it, and once it is for Friday, particular for the weekend, it is

looking more cheery. particular for the weekend, it is

Our late summary is at 10:25pm. You can also keep in contact with us via

Facebook and Twitter. From BBC Newsline, good night.