A contempt of court case taken against former NI Secretary Peter Hain over criticisms he made of a judge in Northern Ireland will not proceed, Belfast High Court has ruled. Mr Hain wrote to Attorney General John Larkin clarifying remarks he made about a high court judge in his memoirs. He said he never intended to question Lord Justice Paul Girvan's motivation in handling a judicial review. Nor did he question his capabilities as a judge. In the light of that, Mr Larkin said, a case against Mr Hain did not now need to continue. He said he no longer believed there was any risk to public confidence in the administration of justice. In a statement, Mr Hain and his publisher said it was a victory for freedom of speech.
