Overview
- Lord Justice Edis and Mr Justice Linden upheld the magistrate’s ruling, saying the court had no jurisdiction and stressing the decision was based on a technical legal point rather than the facts.
- Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring had dismissed the case in September after prosecutors notified Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh of a charge before securing required Attorney General permission, pushing the written charge outside the six‑month limit.
- The CPS said it accepts the judgment and will update its processes to reflect how written charges must be issued when Attorney General permission is required.
- Ó hAnnaidh was accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag and shouting pro‑Hamas/Hezbollah remarks at a November 2024 London gig; he and Kneecap deny supporting proscribed groups and say the flag was thrown on stage.
- Political reaction followed the ruling, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling the group’s views completely intolerable as Kneecap celebrated the decision at a Belfast press conference.