The High Court has ruled against a case taken by Roscommon man Emmet Corcoran who argued that his mobile phone shouldn't have been seized by gardai who were investigating the events at a farmhouse in Falsk in December 2018.
Emmet Corcoran who was editor of the Strokestown Democrat at that time said he had attended the scene of an incident as a journalist, following a tip off.
He said that while he recorded some footage and took photographs he had refused to hand over his mobile phone to gardai in order to protect his sources.
Several people are facing criminal charges as a result of the Falsk incident and gardai obtained a search warrant and took possession of Mr Corcoran's phone.
Gardai agreed not to access the phone pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
The High Court ruled today there was no right to rely on a claim of journalistic privilege in this case and found the limited examination of the phone was justified by the public interest.
