A top judge has refused to intervene after journalists were barred from naming a jailed paedophile for life.

The Office of the Lady Chief Justice, who is the head of the judiciary in Northern Ireland, declined to comment after court reporter Tanya Fowles launched a fight for answers about the order protecting the sex offender.

It comes after the paedophile became one of just eight people in the United Kingdom to be given lifetime anonymity after his legal team claimed in April he could take his own life if named in the press.

At the time, the judge in the case rejected Tanya’s bid to name the convict after noting that people “take their own lives in prison”.

This came despite her pointing out that prisoners making such threats in their mitigation would be eligible for immediate placement on the Supporting Prisoners At Risk scheme to prevent self-harm, known as SPAR.

The decision prompted Tanya, pictured, to quiz the Northern Ireland Prison Service on how it planned to manage such a rare order being granted. However, no answer has been forthcoming and OLCJ has also declined to comment on the issue.

Speaking to HTFP, Tanya said: “OLCJ was also advised that the press viewed the order as disproportionate and contrary to what lifetime anonymity is reserved for.

“It was also pointed out Northern Ireland is now the singular UK jurisdiction to impose two out of eight such orders, both for convicted sex offenders, both claiming suicidal ideation.”

Tanya has previously issued a warning about the precedent being set by the order, made at Antrim Crown Court, as well as a similar decision made at Newry Crown Court last year when a convicted paedophile was given lifetime anonymity based on self-asserted suicide risk.

Until these cases, the existing lifetime anonymity orders all related to cases of murder and generally applied to new identities for offenders on release from prison – including James Bulger’s killers Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, as well as Soham schoolgirl murderer Ian Huntley’s partner Maxine Carr.

In response to a question from Tanya about the provisions in place for prisoners presenting with suicidal ideation, NIPS said: “Supporting People at Risk Evolution (SPAR Evo), fully implemented by August 2020, is a multi-disciplinary person-centred approach to support people in crisis or distress.

“Risk assessments are completed for everyone committed into our care as part of the reception process and concerns can be raised by anyone at any time during the custody period.

“When concern is raised, a risk assessment is completed and support will be provided. If determined to be at risk, a care plan is developed and implemented which aims to address the root cause of the crisis or distress and support the person through this.”

When HTFP approached OLCJ for a comment on the case, we were asked for the name of the defendant and the case number.

In response, we pointed out that we would be unable to do so due to the fact that the defendant has been given lifelong anonymity.