Gerry Adams has won €100,000 (£84,000) in damages over a BBC story about the murder of a British agent.

The former Sinn Féin leader alleged he was defamed in a BBC NI Spotlight programme broadcast in 2016 and an accompanying online article, in which an anonymous contributor alleged he sanctioned the 2006 murder of Denis Donaldson.

Mr Adams, 76, denies any involvement.

The 11-person jury came to its findings after six hours and 49 minutes of deliberations at Dublin’s High Court.

The jury was asked to answer five questions. The first question was whether the words in the programme “mean Mr Adams sanctioned and approved Denis Donaldson’s murder”.

The judge said the jury answered “yes” to question one.

Question two referred to a BBC News NI website story that accompanied the BBC NI Spotlight programme and whether the words in the article meant that Mr Adams sanctioned and approved Denis Donaldson’s murder.

Again the jury answered “yes” to that question.

The third and fourth questions related to whether or not the BBC reported the allegations in good faith.

To these the jury decided “no”.

The fifth question related to how much money Mr Adams should be awarded in damages.

The jury decided he should be awarded €100,000.

The BBC had argued a defence of fair and reasonable reporting on a matter of public interest.

The trial at the High Court in Dublin heard four weeks of evidence from 10 witnesses, including Mr Adams and reporter Jennifer O’Leary.

The programme was seen by an estimated 16,000 viewers in the Republic of Ireland.

Mr Adams was a TD (member of the Irish parliament) for Louth at the time it was broadcast.

The judge presiding over the case, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, completed his recap of the evidence of all witnesses on Wednesday.

The judge told the jurors that if they award damages to Mr Adams, they should base it on his recent and current reputation.

The legal bill for Gerry Adams versus the BBC is to believed to be between €3-5 million (£2.5-4.2m), according to sources with knowledge of the case.

It is understood to be have been one of the most expensive cases the corporation has ever fought.

There was a trial lasting five weeks at the High Court in Dublin, involving four senior counsel, two on each side.

Three rows of benches in court 24 were at times occupied by up to 14 barristers and solicitors.

One of those acting for the BBC, Paul Gallagher, is a former Irish Attorney General and reportedly one of the country’s highest paid barristers.

There has not only been a lengthy trial, but a number of preliminary court hearings.

Jury trials are usually longer – and therefore more expensive – than those held in front of a judge acting alone.

Ireland is in the process of overhauling its defamation laws, including the elimination of jury trials in High Court defamation cases.

In Northern Ireland, there has been “a presumption against jury trials” in libel cases since 2022.