Paisley Jnr in court challenge over refusal to name source

Ian Paisley junior is being challenged in the High Court for refusing to give a public inquiry the name of a prison officer who told him about how documents were destroyed in the wake of the murder of a high-profile loyalist.

Ian Paisley junior is being challenged in the High Court in Belfast for refusing to give a public inquiry the name of a prison officer who told him about how documents were destroyed in the wake of the murder of a high-profile loyalist.

Mr Paisley says the prison authorities paid £2.50 for every file destroyed after the murder of LVF killer Billy Wright - but is refusing to name his source.

Billy 'King Rat' Wright was murdered by two INLA inmates inside the Maze jail at Christmas 1997.

His family and others believed he was killed to ensure his silence about collusion between loyalists and the police.

Ian Paisley junior has told the public inquiry into those claims that the prison service paid £2.50 for every file destroyed after his killing.

The High Court is challenging his refusal to name the source for this information.

Mr Paisley says up to 5,600 files were destroyed and he was told in confidence by a senior prison officer while he was still a Junior Minister at Stormont.