Sinn Féin President Mr Gerry Adams today called for a fundamental review of Northern Ireland's criminal justice system after being awarded £500 in damages against the RUC.
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Sinn Féin President Mr Gerry Adams
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The damages were awarded over an incident on the Ormeau Road in South Belfast on the eve of a Twelfth of July Orange parade in 1996.
Belfast County Court ruled Mr Adams was entitled to damages for public nuisance after he was prevented from leaving the area by a convoy of police officers.
But the Sinn Féin leader's claims for assault and false imprisonment were rejected by the court.
He said: "This case has again highlighted the deeply-flawed nature of the north's criminal justice system and the arbitrary abuse of power exercised by the RUC.
"While this judgment accepts that the RUC has no right to prevent me, as an elected representative, from going into the Lower Ormeau Road, it does not accept that citizens have the right to freedom of movement."
The judge appeared to accept that Mr Adams was a victim of false imprisonment but the "draconian" laws governing Northern Ireland meant the RUC avoided criticism of their behaviour, he claimed.
"This is a major indictment of the legal and judicial system, and underpins the need for a fundamental, deep-seated review of the Criminal Justice System."
PA