The High Court in Belfast ruled that Ed Moloney does not have to surrender notes of interviews he carried out ten years ago with William Stobie, a self-confessed police informer and alleged Ulster Defence Association quartermaster.

Mr Stobie is accused of murdering Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989, but is denying the charge.

The journalist was fighting a County Court order directing him to surrender his notes to the Steven's Inquiry Team, which is investigating the loyalist paramilitary murder and allegations of Royal Ulster Constabulary collusion in the killing.

Ed Moloney: Carried out interviews with accused

But Lord Chief Justice Sir Robert Carswell ruled that police had not proved there was more than a possibility there could be material in the notes which would be of value to the murder inquiry.

He said a judge at an earlier hearing had misapprehended the evidence or misguided himself in making his decision.

In June, Mr Moloney published a story in the Dublin-based Sunday Tribune based on interviews with Mr Stobie.

The article reported Stobie's claims that he had given his Special Branch handlers enough information to prevent Mr Finucane's murder, or at very least to apprehend his killers, members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF).

As he left court, Mr Maloney said: "I am delighted at the decision."

He had maintained that he would not hand over the notes and was prepared to go to prison over the issue.