New battle for Brady journalist

Robin Ackroyd wrote the story more than six years ago

A journalist is facing a fresh attempt by a health authority to force him to reveal his source for an article about the care of Moors murderer Ian Brady.

Robin Ackroyd's 1999 Daily Mirror story made allegations about mistreatment of Brady at Ashworth Hospital, Merseyside.

Mersey Care NHS trust wants a High Court ruling won by Mr Ackroyd in February to be overturned.

The Court of Appeal case centres on the balance between press freedom and the confidentiality of medical records.

At the original hearing, the High Court rejected argument by the trust that the public interest in a journalist's right to protect his sources was overridden by patient confidentiality.

On Monday, Vincent Nelson QC told three appeal judges in London it was not disputed the hospital had a legitimate aim in seeking to establish the identity of the employee who had leaked information to Mr Accord relating to Brady's treatment.

Ian Brady has been on hunger strike at Ashworth since 1999

The point at issue was whether there was a "pressing social need" for disclosure of the journalist's source in this case.

In the High Court, Mr Justice Tugendhat had said Mr Ackroyd was a "responsible journalist" who was "acting in the public interest".

The new case is among a series of court battles between the trust and the media over the Brady case.

Some of the information disclosed to Mr Ackroyd came from Brady's medical records on a confidential database known as the Patient Administrative and Clinical Information Service (PACIS).

It formed the basis of a story published in the Daily Mirror in December 1999 about alleged mistreatment of Brady while he was being force-fed on hunger strike.

The Mirror fought unsuccessfully all the way to the House of Lords to avoid having to disclose its source - Mr Ackroyd - who then became the target of the action brought by the trust in its attempts to identify who leaked the information.

A High Court judge ruled in October 2002 that Mr Ackroyd must reveal his source.

But in May 2003, the Court of Appeal held that Mr Ackroyd should be allowed to defend himself - which he did, successfully, earlier this year.

Brady was jailed for life with Myra Hindley in 1966 for the murders of five children in Greater Manchester.

The 67-year-old began his hunger strike in September 1999.