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56m ago

Kneecap Rapper’s Terror Charge Dismissed After Attorney General Consent Error

The chief magistrate ruled prosecutors acted unlawfully by charging before securing the required Attorney General approval within the statutory window.

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A sign that reads "CNOC Kneecap Hill" is placed next to the Irish and Palestinian flags outside the Woolwich Crown Court on the day Kneecap member Liam O'Hanna, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh and performing under the name of Mo Chara, who has been charged with a terrorism offence in relation to the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag onstage in 2024, appears in court, in London, Britain, September 26, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska
Police officers walk outside the Woolwich Crown Court ahead of the hearing of Kneecap member Liam O'Hanna, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh and performing under the name of Mo Chara, who has been charged with a terrorism offence in relation to the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag onstage in 2024, in London, Britain, September 26, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska
Member of the rap group Kneecap, Liam O'Hanna, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh and performing under the name of Mo Chara, who has been charged with a terrorism offence in relation to the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag onstage in 2024, walks outside the Woolwich Crown Court on the day of a hearing, in London, Britain, September 26, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska

Overview

  • Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring dismissed the case at a hearing sitting at Woolwich Crown Court, declaring the proceedings unlawful and null.
  • The ruling followed a defence challenge that police notified Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh of a charge on May 21 before Attorney General consent was granted the next day, breaching procedural requirements tied to the six‑month limit.
  • Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, had faced an allegation of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London gig in November 2024, which he and Kneecap have consistently denied.
  • The Metropolitan Police imposed a Section 14 order directing where supporters could assemble outside the court and warning of arrest for breaches.
  • The high-profile case had already forced venue changes due to a Westminster court closure and contributed to wider fallout for the band, including international bans and cancelled shows.