Northern Ireland's First Minister has said his Sinn Fein deputy should be tried before a court if enough evidence exists.

Martin McGuinness has denied allegations made by a former IRA prisoner linking him to the organisation in 1980, long after the former commander said he left the republican paramilitaries.

Democratic Unionist First Minister Peter Robinson told the Stormont assembly a guiding principle of his party was everybody should be subject to the law and that included Mr McGuinness, who he said made no secret of his involvement with the IRA. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader said: "He, like any of the rest of us, should be brought before the courts and tried." He added: "All of these matters have to be dealt with by the due process of law. If anybody has evidence against any member of this house they should bring it to the authorities, there are proper processes to go through." Sinn Fein say allegations by ex-IRA prisoner Peter Rogers are untrue.