Paisley ordered to disclose sources in Wright murder probe
A Northern Ireland Assembly member was today ordered to disclose his sources in a probe into the prison murder of loyalist leader Billy Wright or face contempt of court proceedings.
Ian Paisley junior could be imprisoned because he is refusing to hand over material about the shooting dead of gunman Wright in December 1997.
He was served with a High Court summons at Stormont today requiring him to appear before Belfast High Court judge Mr Justice Gillen tomorrow morning.
The Democratic Unionist Party politician was told by a prison officer informant that documents were destroyed after the controversial killing by republicans of the Loyalist Volunteer Force chief.
A public inquiry considering the circumstances surrounding the death wants to probe that allegation.
Mr Paisley said: “I can’t give the name of my sources, it would not be the credible thing to do, it would not be the honest thing to do, it would not be the just thing to do.”
He faces a range of possible penalties including a fine which could render him bankrupt or a prison term.
“I can’t hand over this name, I won’t hand over this name, I will take this name to my grave because that’s the commitment I gave to my source when the source came to me,” he added.
He said the courts understood the dilemma he was in.
“If the courts think it is the sensible and credible thing for them to do, to put a public representative in jail for the first time on the issue of contempt like this, the public would see that as completely and totally over-reacting.
“It is devastating for justice that a public representative doing the right thing be put in jail because of the Billy Wright tribunal.”
He added: “I think that would make a laughing stock of the tribunal.”
