Police try to ban media from Birmingham Six hearing

AN ATTEMPT by police to have a hearing involving Chris Mullin, the journalist who helped exonerate the Birmingham Six, held in secret has been condemned by the Society of Editors.

West Midlands Police has made legal submissions to exclude reporters from a hearing this week where it will try to force Mr Mullin, also a former MP, to disclose his sources. The legal battle centres on a long-running controversy stemming from Mr Mullin’s reporting in the 1980s on what became one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice.

Six innocent men served nearly 17 years behind bars after being wrongly convicted of IRA bombings on two pubs in Birmingham, which left 21 people dead in November 1974.

Mr Mullin helped expose the wrongful convictions through his reporting, including the 1986 book Error of Judgement which allegedly saw him speak to one of the actual perpetrators, on the condition he protected their identity, which he has done for decades since.

Now, West Midlands Police is attempting to use terrorism legislation to force Mr Mullin to hand over journalistic material relating to his investigation, including his notebooks.

Investigators hope the material will help identify a surviving member of the IRA gang responsible for the atrocity.

The force made submissions asking for Friday’s hearing at the Old Bailey to be held in private, citing the need to protect the privacy of a suspect whose name may be mentioned in court, but who has not been charged, The Guardian reported.

The Society of Editors, which represents regional and national newspaper editors, said the move is a “grave threat to press freedom” and went against the principle of open justice.

Dawn Alford, executive director of the society, said: “It is essential on behalf of all reporters and their future ability to protect their sources and enable public interest journalism to continue that this challenge is held in public.”