The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will today challenge a judge's decision to throw out a terrorism charge against Mo Chara, a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap. The appeal is being heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
The Core of the Legal Dispute
The case against the musician, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, stems from an incident at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town in November 2024. Prosecutors allege he displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organisation, and made related comments.
However, in September 2025, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring dismissed the case. He ruled the proceedings were "instituted unlawfully" because the necessary consent from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Attorney General was not obtained within a strict six-month statutory time limit. The CPS swiftly announced its intention to appeal, stating the case involved an "important point of law which needs to be clarified."
Clashing Arguments on Legal Procedure
The defence, led by Brenda Campbell KC, argues that police informed Ó hAnnaidh of the terror charge on 21 May 2025, but the Attorney General's consent was not granted until the following day. This one-day delay, they contend, placed the charge outside the permissible six-month window.
Contrastingly, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove asserted that permission from the DPP and Attorney General was not required until the defendant’s first court appearance, and was not needed to initially bring the charge. Mr Goldspring, in his original ruling, found the CPS arguments "defy logic" and stated the court therefore had no jurisdiction.
Reactions and What Happens Next
Kneecap has been vocal in its criticism of the continued legal action. Following the CPS appeal announcement, the band stated on social media: "Once again, this is a massive waste of taxpayers’ money, of police time, of court time... We will fight you in your court again. We will win again."
The appeal hearing before Lord Justice Edis and Mr Justice Linden is scheduled to begin at 10.30am on 14 January 2026. The outcome will hinge on the judges' interpretation of the procedural requirements under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, particularly concerning offences connected with the affairs of another country.
