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Convicted stalker loses press watchdog complaint over report of case

ipso-green-320A convicted stalker has had his claim about a regional news website’s reporting of his case thrown out by the press watchdog.

David Ford complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that Lincolnshire Live breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article which reported on the case – including the prosecution and defence arguments, as well as the sentencing remarks of the judge.

Ford said that he had no recollection of much of what was reported in the article being said in court, did not believe that there was a reporter in court for his trial or sentencing hearing, and said that a number of quotes were attributed to the wrong person.

Lincolnshire Live responded that the article was an accurate account of the complainant’s sentencing hearing. It confirmed that its reporter was in court, and provided his shorthand notes of proceedings.

It said that the sentencing hearing was conducted in an informal manner between the prosecutor and judge, and said that the reporter’s notes confirmed the published quotes.

In the absence of any further information from Ford to suggest that the notes were inaccurate, IPSO did not consider that there was any failure on the part of Lincolnshire Live to take care over the accuracy of the article.

The complaint was not upheld, and the full adjudication can be read here.