Kneecap Rapper Avoids Modern Trial After High Court Rejects Appeal

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, the rapper known as Mo Chara, will not face a new terror trial after the High Court in London dismissed an appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The case stemmed from allegations that Ó hAnnaidh displayed a flag in support of the proscribed organization Hezbollah during a performance at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, on November 21st, 2024.

Legal Challenge and Initial Dismissal

The initial case was thrown out in September of last year by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, who ruled that the proceedings were “instituted unlawfully.” The CPS appealed this decision, arguing that the case should be revisited. However, on Wednesday, two High Court judges upheld Goldspring’s ruling, effectively ending the legal challenge.

Timing Issue at the Heart of the Case

The core of the legal dispute revolved around the timing of the charges. Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyers successfully argued that prosecutors were required to obtain the attorney general’s permission to charge the rapper with a terror offense before informing him of the charges on May 21, 2025. While permission was granted the following day, May 22, the court determined this fell outside the six-month timeframe allowed for bringing criminal charges against a defendant.

Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Linden, stated that “the judge was right to hold that he had no jurisdiction to try any summary-only offence alleged to have been committed on that date.”

Kneecap’s Response and Future Plans

Following the High Court’s decision, Kneecap announced a press conference. A sign displayed at the event in Conway Mill, Belfast, read: ‘I’m a free mawn’. The group also posted on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the support received and stating their intention to “fight them in their own courts and we would win.” They concluded their post with expressions of solidarity, stating “free Palestine” and “free the six counties.”

The court emphasized that Ó hAnnaidh has not been tried, convicted, or acquitted of any offense related to the alleged incident.