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Facebook group aims to highlight sex case mix-up

Thousands of Facebook users have joined a campaign to highlight a regional newspaper’s error after it incorrectly identified a young man as a sex offender.

The South Wales Evening Post apologised to Robert William Stevens after publishing a photograph wrongly identifying him as Robert Edward Stevens, who had admitted sex offences against young girls.

The front-page apology stated: “In the Evening Post on April 23 we published a photograph that we said was of Robert Edward Stevens of Ffordd Ger-y-Llwyn at Tircoed Forest Village, who had pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with two young girls.

“In fact, the photograph was of an innocent man – Robert William Stevens, who has no connection with the defendant and was not involved in the court case in any way.

“We wish to make it absolutely clear that Robert William Stevens is NOT the man who pleaded guilty to these offences.

“We offer our unreserved apologies to Robert William Stevens for our error and are pleased to have this opportunity to publish this correction and apology to him and his family.”

The newspaper’s error has now spawned a Facebook campaign entitled “100pc support for Rob Stevens, the South Wales Evening Post got it wrong.”

The group, set up by Swansea resident Tom Barker, has already attracted 3,391 members.

Its Facebook page states: “This is not about creating a witch hunt, just get the word out, they got the Wrong Rob.

“Please give this as much publicity as possible as I’m sure you are aware there are some idiots out there who will quite happily have a go at lynch mobbing this innocent guy.”

Evening Post editor-in-chief Spencer Feeney told HTFP he was unable to comment on the episode as the matter was now in the hands of lawyers.

The newspaper sent Tom a message via Facebook which he has since posted on the site stating: “We have removed the Rob Stevens story from our website. We are speaking with Rob’s family and doing all we can to put this right.”