Kevin Maxwell was today cleared of contempt of court by a High Court judge.

The case surrounded his refusal to submit to interrogation by inspectors inquiring into the financial affairs of the Mirror Group eight years ago.

The judge, Sir Richard Scott, said the potential burden that the questioning might place on Mr Maxwell - who could not afford legal representation - was "at risk of going beyond that which an unrepresented individual can reasonably be required to accept".

He said the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors should keep their questions to a minimum and tell him in advance what they wanted to ask. If this was done, he would have no further excuse for refusing to answer.

The judgement was a resounding victory for the elder son of media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who died in 1991, in his latest clash with the authorities over the affairs of Mirror Group Newspapers and other companies controlled by his father. A delighted Mr Maxwell said after the ruling: "Unless they change their procedures, there is no obligation on me to answer questions.

"I have always said I would answer if they created a set of fair procedures and a fair regime. Now the court has decided to protect me as an individual. It's a victory for common sense and it's what I wanted in the first place."

Mr Maxwell, 39, who now works in telecommunications, said the inspectors had accused him of being obstructive.

"In fact, it was entirely their own fault, as this judgement shows."

He added that he had borrowed £15,000 to obtain a solicitor's advice so he could conduct his own defence in court, and he would be seeking to recover those costs from the DTI.

Story date: Thursday 11 March

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