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Judge rules out jail for Paisley Paisley complains over QC remarks
(about 3 hours later)
The DUP's Ian Paisley Jr will not be jailed if he refuses to pay a £5,000 fine for contempt of court. Ian Paisley Jr has asked his solicitor to lodge a complaint with the Bar Council following remarks made about him by John Larkin QC.
The fine followed his refusal to reveal a source to the inquiry investigating the death of Billy Wright in the Maze Prison in 1997. Mr Larkin told the High Court the DUP MLA "wanted to be jailed" over his refusal to reveal the name of a source.
Mr Paisley was fined £5,000 when he refused to name a prison officer who he said told him files were destroyed following the murder of Billy Wright.
Earlier, Mr Paisley was told he would not be jailed if he refused to pay.
A judge said rather than jail him for three months, he would issue a warrant which could see goods or assets seized.A judge said rather than jail him for three months, he would issue a warrant which could see goods or assets seized.
Mr Paisley said he intended to take the three months granted to him by the court to decide his options.Mr Paisley said he intended to take the three months granted to him by the court to decide his options.
He had refused to name the prison officer who told him about moves to scrap up to 5,600 files after the killing of Wright, the leader of the Loyalist Volunteer Force. Billy Wright was murdered in the Maze Prison in 1997.
The inquiry, which is examining claims of collusion surrounding the killing, obtained the order against Mr Paisley Jr in April. 'Flippant'
Mr Paisley, however, insisted he could not break a pledge of confidentiality given to his informant and vowed to "take the name to his grave". Mr Larkin, the Billy Wright Tribunal's QC, told the court "brandishing custody before Mr Paisley is like brandishing a whip before Max Mosley."
Criticism On Tuesday, Mr Paisley called the remarks "flippant and nasty" and said Mr Larkin would come to regret them.
His counsel, Joseph Aiken, has confirmed legal costs alone will amount to more than £50,000.
Meanwhile, a leading lawyer has hit back after the DUP politician accused him of being "flippant and nasty".
On Tuesday, Mr Paisley strongly criticised the Billy Wright Tribunal's QC, John Larkin, for claiming he "wanted imprisonment".
But on Wednesday, Mr Larkin told the court that counsel always acted on instructions and every client was entitled to the "zealous, independent service" of an advocate.But on Wednesday, Mr Larkin told the court that counsel always acted on instructions and every client was entitled to the "zealous, independent service" of an advocate.
He said that service "should be not be compromised by the popularity or unpopularity of the cause or by blandishments or menaces inside or outside the court". He said that service "should not be compromised by the popularity or unpopularity of the cause or by blandishments or menaces inside or outside the court".
"That's the basis I have conducted this case on behalf of the inquiry.""That's the basis I have conducted this case on behalf of the inquiry."
'Confidentiality'
Mr Paisley had refused to name the prison officer who told him about moves to scrap up to 5,600 files after the killing of Wright, the leader of the Loyalist Volunteer Force.
The inquiry, which is examining claims of collusion surrounding the killing, obtained the order against Mr Paisley in April.
He, however, insisted he could not break a pledge of confidentiality given to his informant and vowed to "take the name to his grave".
His counsel, Joseph Aiken, has confirmed legal costs alone would amount to more than £50,000.