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The woman expected to decide his fate

NORTHERN Ireland's director of public prosecutions, Barra McGrory, is a former solicitor for Mr Adams and so he is expected to delegate a decision on the file to his deputy Pamela Atchison.

Ms Atchison is a solicitor with extensive experience in criminal law and as a prosecutor.

She became the first woman to hold the prestigious post of Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, one of the highest positions within the criminal justice system.

A mother of two, Ms Atchison first joined the then Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1982.

She was the first woman promoted to assistant director in 1999. In this role, she held different posts including lead responsibility for the Stevens III Investigation, one of the largest and longest running police investigations in the UK. Ms Atchison was promoted to Senior Assistant Director in November 2009 with overall responsibility for a wide range of matters including the most serious and complex casework, prosecutions for government departments, appeals, extradition, and the development of legal policy. She was appointed deputy director in April 2012 by Attorney General John Larkin who said would be "an inspiration to other women lawyers in both the public and private sectors".

Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory described his colleague as "an outstanding criminal lawyer".