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.

Edinburgh Evening News
Maureen Moore complained that an article had referred to a man named Ryan Moore being held on drugs charges without identifying which Ryan Moore it was. She said that her son, who had the same name, had been abused by people who thought the article was about him. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The newspaper published a follow-up article, after the man had been sentenced, which made clear that he had been in custody since his arrest and could not, therefore, be the complainant’s son.

The Northern Echo
A woman from Bridlington complained about an article which reported on stories told by the founder of a refuge for victims of domestic violence. She said that the woman’s account – which did not identify her or anyone featured in the story – was an inaccurate version of her own experience when she was helped by the woman. She raised specific concerns with the claims that she was on the run from a court order and that her ex-husband had sexually abused three of their children. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The editor of the newspaper disputed that the complainant could have been identified from the information in the article. However, he undertook to remove the words under dispute from the online version of the article. The complainant asked that this fact be recorded on the Commission’s website for future reference.

Luton on Sunday
Tim Riley, of the Crown Prosecution Service, Bedfordshire, complained that his comments on the excuses used by defence solicitors to delay cases had been misrepresented in an article and that the newspaper had published inaccurate information about a new adult offender scheme. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The newspaper published the following correction in response to the complaint which was resolved on that basis:
“Further to the articles headlined ‘New scheme aims to speed youths through the courts’ (August 26, 2007) and ‘New youths’ court system ready to go’ (October 7, 2007) the Luton & Dunstable on Sunday and associated newspapers acknowledge that errors occurred in the reporting of both of these stories.
“We accept that some of the interview comments reported as being made by a CPS representative were inaccurately reported. The interview published on the October 7, 2007, did not take place as described. We apologise for the errors that occurred in both the published stories. We would also like to make it clear that the CJSSS scheme detailed in both reports related to adult offenders rather than youth offenders as we stated.”

South Wales Echo
Jason Goodridge, of Cardiff, complained that the newspaper inaccurately reported that his brother had committed suicide in November 2007, and that his death therefore, was among the recent group of suicides. He died, in fact, in November 2006. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper amended its online archive, gave an undertaking about future reporting and sent a private letter of apology to the complainant.

Liverpool Echo
Darren Lawrenson, of Great Sankey, complained that an article had inaccurately claimed that his daughter Ellie had been killed in her St Helen’s home. In fact, Ellie’s home was in Warrington, and she had been staying with her grandmother when she was killed. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following statement:
“On February 28, under the headline ‘More kids at risk from dogs’, we incorrectly reported that Ellie Lawrenson was killed in her St Helens home by her uncle’s pitbull. As we have reported on a number of other occasions, Ellie was at her grandmother’s – and not her parent’s – home when she was tragically killed. We apologise for any distress caused.”

South Wales Argus
Mr S Dolling, of Bettws, complained that an article had inaccurately stated that his son Kyle had been in breach of his curfew when he committed murder. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification:
Kyle Dolling
“An article on February 6, 2008 , following the conviction for murder of Kyle Dolling, mistakenly said that Dolling was in breach of a curfew when he went out into the Newport city centre in the early hours of August 5. He was, in fact, subject to a community order at the time but not a curfew.”

Evening Standard
The Reverend William Taylor, of St John’s Church, Notting Hill, complained about an article which reported on plans to put a car park in the grounds of the church. The complainant emphasised that it was the Parish Church Council which had made the proposal – which related to just one parking space for vehicles such as hearses needing access to the Church – rather than his personal proposal. (Clause 1).
Resolution: The newspaper published a letter which satisfactorily clarified the points under dispute. The complaint was resolved on that basis.