The majority of complaints made to the Press Complaints Commission, which raise a possible breach of the Code of Practice, are resolved directly between the Commission’s staff, editors and complainants.

These are either settled to the express satisfaction of the complainant following some remedial action by the editor or are not pursued by complainants following an explanation or other response from the publication.

Below are summaries of the latest complaints involving the regional press which fall into the first category.

Express and Echo (Exeter)
Peter Richards of Kent complained that an article had inaccurately portrayed his deceased father who was a witness in the trial of a priest convicted of sexual abuse against children. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a second article which made clear that the complainant’s father was not at fault.

Evening Advertiser (Swindon)
Maureen Wells of Swindon complained that an article which reported that her sister and brother-in-law had been robbed by their son contained inaccuracies. (Clauses 1, 3)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to publish a correction and an apology.

Bedfordshire on Sunday
Karen Jarvis of Bedford complained that an article which reported the death of her son from meningitis contained inaccuracies relating to his age and his having a sibling. (Clauses 1, 5)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology.

South Wales Echo
Mary Thomas, co-ordinator for TraVol – a charity providing transport to the disabled in the community – complained that the headline of an article inaccurately stated that the charity had told a user that she was ‘too fat’ to use their service. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification which made clear that TraVol had not told the user that she was ‘too fat’ to use the service but had explained that the combination of her weight and her wheelchair exceeded health and safety rules.

Birmingham Evening Mail
Edward G Hulse of HMP Dovegate complained that an article which reported his prison sentence contained inaccuracies, primarily that he had previously been convicted of supplying ecstasy. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification which explained that the complainant did not have any previous drugs convictions.

East Kilbride Mail
Gayle Hollywood of East Kilbride complained that the newspaper had reported an inaccurate allegation that she suffered from Asperger Syndrome. (Clauses 1, 3)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology.

Bromsgrove Standard
Councillor Peter McDonald of Bromsgrove complained that a letter published in the newspaper falsely accused him of abusive behaviour at meetings. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and apology.

Kensington and Chelsea News
Liz Rayment-Pickard complained that an article had inaccurately contended that a man accused of murder had worked as a caretaker at Oxford Garden Primary School. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology and a correction.

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