Journalist has right to protect Birmingham pub bombing source, judge says
A British judge has said a prominent journalist is within his rights not to hand over information that could identify the person responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings.
Former MP Chris Mullin is under no obligation to hand over notes for an interview with a person who claimed to be responsible for the Birmingham explosions that killed 21 people and injured a further 182 others.
While working for Granada TV, Mullin helped secure the release of the Birmingham Six, after they were wrongly convicted of carrying out the bombings in 1975.
Mullin has claimed he met the person responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings, while investigating the case in the 1980s.
The Birmingham Six were later released from prison after their convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1991.
In a ruling, the judge said he believes Mullin has material in his possession that is “likely to be of substantial value” to a terrorist investigation.
However, the judge said the public interest that exists in forcing Mullin to hand over that information does not overrule Mullin’s right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
“On this issue I do not find an overriding public interest to displace the journalistic source protection right,” the judge said.