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.

The Argus
A woman complained that the newspaper had sought to interview her at her home with regard to a high-profile court case involving her daughter despite a request from police not to approach her or her family. (Clause 4)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper – which stated that it was not aware of the police request at the time of the approach – sent a private letter of apology to the complainant.

Press & Journal
A man complained that an article had inaccurately claimed that his partner had set up the website businessperthshire.com and that she owned the company Sundial Creative. The complainant explained that the inaccuracy had caused a considerable amount of distress to his partner. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction making clear that the complainant’s partner had not set up businessperthshire.com and that she did not own Sundial Creative. The correction emphasised that the complainant’s partner had no legal involvement in either enterprise, and apologised for the error.

Daily Record
Martin Hamilton of HM Glenochil Prison complained that an article inaccurately suggested that he had a taste for ‘sexual sadism’ on young men. In fact, the complainant said that he had never been convicted of, or questioned over, any sexual offence. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant making clear that he had never been questioned or convicted over any sexual offences.

Chester Standard
Reginald T Barritt of Handbridge complained that – following the publication of his letter and a response from West Cheshire College with regard to an online poll – he had been denied an opportunity to reply.
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a further letter from the complainant outlining his position.

Evening Standard
Jason Johnson, a postman for Royal Mail, complained through the Communication Workers Union that an article which focused on his disability intruded into his privacy and discriminated against him in breach of the Code. (Clauses 3, 12)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following apology: “We would like to make it clear that our article on 15 March, about a postman who suffered from dyslexia, related to his employment in a position which could have been made more difficult because of his disability. It was not intended to be directed personally at Mr Jason Johnson and we apologise to him for any misunderstanding.”