Below are summaries of the latest complaints involving the regional press which have been resolved between the parties involved, with help from the Press Complaints Commission.

Newham Recorder
Susan Baker of Grays complained that two articles had contained inaccurate information about her court case. Specifically, she contended that the coverage had incorrectly claimed that – while claiming benefit – she had been living at home with her father and adjudicating on fraud matters as a magistrate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: We have been asked to clarify some details of a court report supplied by a news agency which appeared in the Newham Recorder on 11 October 2006. The report stated that Susan Baker, of Parsonage Road, Grays, admitted charges of furnishing false information to claim £15,000 of housing benefit. It also stated that she was living with her family at the time of the offences and was a magistrate dealing with similar cases of fraud.
Susan Baker informs us that she was not living with any members of her family and that, during the relevant periods, she did not preside over any fraud cases.

Stratford and Newham Express
Susan Baker of Grays complained that an article had contained inaccurate information about her court case. Specifically, she contended that the coverage had incorrectly claimed that – while claiming benefit – she had been living at home with her father and adjudicating on fraud matters as a magistrate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: We have been asked to clarify some details of a court report supplied by a news agency which appeared in the Stratford and Newham Express on 14 October 2006. The report stated that Susan Baker, of Parsonage Road, Grays, admitted charges of furnishing false information to claim £15,000 of housing benefit. It also stated that she was living with her family at the time of the offences and was a magistrate dealing with similar cases of fraud.
Susan Baker informs us that she was not living with any members of her family and that, during the relevant periods, she did not preside over any fraud cases.

Thurrock Gazette
Susan Baker of Grays complained that an article had contained inaccurate information about her court case. Specifically, the complainant contended that the coverage had incorrectly claimed that – while claiming benefit – she had been living at home with her father and adjudicating on fraud matters as a magistrate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: We have been asked to clarify some details of a court report supplied by a news agency which appeared in the Thurrock Gazette on 13 October 2006. The report stated that Susan Baker, of Parsonage Road, Grays, admitted charges of furnishing false information to claim £15,000 of housing benefit. It also stated that she was living with her family at the time of the offences and was a magistrate dealing with similar cases of fraud.
Susan Baker informs us that she was not living with any members of her family and that, during the relevant periods, she did not preside over any fraud cases. We are happy to accept that and make the situation clear.

Thurrock Recorder
Susan Baker of Grays complained that an article had contained inaccurate information about her court case. Specifically, the complainant contended that the coverage had incorrectly claimed that – while claiming benefit – she had been living at home with her father and adjudicating on fraud matters as a magistrate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: We have been asked to clarify some details of a court report supplied by a news agency which appeared in the Thurrock Recorder on 13 October 2006. The report stated that Susan Baker, of Parsonage Road, Grays, admitted nine charges of furnishing false information to claim £14,540 of housing benefit. It also stated that she was living with her family at the time of the offences and was a magistrate dealing with similar cases of fraud.
Susan Baker informs us that she was not living with any members of her family and that, during the relevant periods, she did not preside over any fraud cases. We are happy to accept that and make the situation clear.

Scotland on Sunday
A man explained that he had given a statement to the police to convey his concerns that another man was responsible for the local murder of a minor. Although the complainant was not named, he raised concerns that there were clues over a series of articles which may have led to his identification. The crux of the complainant’s complaint was that the article described him as a drug user, a claim which he denied. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to annotate its records to reflect the complainant’s position.

Edinburgh Evening News
A man explained that he had given a statement to the police to convey his concerns that another man was responsible for the local murder of a minor. Although the complainant was not named, he raised concerns that there were clues over a series of articles which may have led to his identification. The crux of the complainant’s concerns was that the article described him as a drug user, a claim which he denied. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to annotate its records to reflect the complainant’s position.

Leicester Mercury
Lin Mason of Markfield complained that an article reporting on the inquest into her mother’s death had contained inaccuracies relating to the cause of her death – which was a combination of heart disease and carbon monoxide poisoning – and the source of the smoke, which had been a Rayburn Fire and not a wood burner. The article had upset her and her brother at a very difficult time.(Clause 5)
Resolution: Although the newspaper did not accept that the article had misrepresented the cause of death as set out at the inquest, the complaint was resolved when the newspaper sent a private letter to the complainant, apologising for the distress caused by the article.

Loughborough Echo
Lin Mason of Markfield complained that an article reporting on the inquest into her mother’s death had contained inaccuracies relating to the cause of her death – which was a combination of heart disease and carbon monoxide poisoning – and the source of the smoke, which had been a Rayburn Fire and not a wood burner. The article had upset her and her brother at a very difficult time.(Clause 5)
Resolution: The newspaper offered to publish a clarification on the issue of the source of the smoke, although it did not accept that the article had been otherwise inaccurate. However, the complaint was resolved when the editor sent a private letter to the complainant, apologising for the distress caused by the article.