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.

Scotsman
Michael John Smith of Essex complained that the newspaper, referring to an ongoing trial, had inaccurately suggested that the defendant was 'the first person charged with spying under the Official Secrets Act since 1984'. In fact, the complainant himself had been tried in 1993 under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper, which had taken the information from an agency, published the following correction: In an article under the headline ‘UK soldier pleads not guilty to spying’ published on July 13 we said that Daniel James was the first person charged with spying under the Official Secrets Act since 1984. We have been told by Michael John Smith that he was convicted of spying under the act in 1993 and that our statement was inaccurate. We are happy to make the correction.

Ledbury Reporter
Councillor Tony Bradford complained that a reader’s letter had made a number of inaccurate allegations about him, and in particular had claimed that he had failed to respond to a number of requests for information. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the complainant’s letter, making clear that he – or someone on his behalf – had responded to every e-mail he had received from the letter writer.

Evening Star (Ipswich)
James Turner of Essex complained that an article inaccurately suggested that he had head butted a rival football fan after a game. In fact, he explained that he had been the victim of the head butt. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper offered to publish an apology to correct the inaccurate information but the complainant considered that too much time had elapsed since the publication of the original article. He accepted a private letter of apology – in which the newspaper accepted that he had been the victim of the head butt and apologised for any embarrassment the error in the article had caused – as a resolution to his complaint.

East Anglian Daily Times
James Turner of Essex complained that an article inaccurately suggested that he had head butted a rival football fan after a game. In fact, he explained that he had been the victim of the head butt. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper offered to publish an apology to correct the inaccurate information but the complainant considered that too much time had elapsed since the publication of the original article. He accepted a private letter of apology – in which the newspaper accepted that he had been the victim of the head butt and apologised for any embarrassment the error in the article had caused – as a resolution to his complaint.

Basingstoke Observer
A man complained that an article reporting that his sister was attempting to trace him and his daughter contained a number of inaccurate claims about him and his family. He was also concerned that the article had intruded into his privacy. (Clauses 1, 3)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper explained how the error had occurred, apologised and undertook not to publish the material again. The complainant expressed his view that staffing levels at the newspaper should be high enough to ensure that similar situations did not arise in the future.

Yorkshire Post
Councillor John Blackie of Hawes, North Yorkshire, complained that an article had referred misleadingly to a Standards Board of England inquiry, which had exonerated him and other councillors accused of bullying by finding them not guilty of breaching the National Code of Conduct. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: A recent article (Embattled council elects leader, 18 May) reported that Richmondshire District Council had elected a new leader, and referred to former leader John Blackie and a number of other councillors. We wish to clarify that although John Blackie (and other councillors) were found guilty of bullying after an inquiry by Richard Penn, they were subsequently exonerated in a Standards Board of England inquiry which found that he and the other councillors had not breached the National Code of Conduct.

Swindon Advertiser
A couple complained that an article and accompanying photograph had inaccurately claimed that police were looking for the husband in connection with graffiti attacks. In fact, the photograph had shown the husband after he had been cleaning the graffiti as part of his job. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper offered to publish a correction, or interview the husband with a view to a follow up story. However, the complainants decided that they did not want any further publicity, and were happy to consider the matter resolved.

North West Evening Mail
Anthony McNally of Ulverston complained that an article about his book Watching Men Burn had inaccurately claimed that he had been battling alcoholism. In fact, the complainant indicated that he had never been an alcoholic. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification: In a story published on May 3 about Tony McNally’s book ’Watching Men Burn’ we stated that the author ‘spent years battling alcoholism’. Mr McNally has asked us to point out that although he has been a heavy drinker in the past, he does not consider that he was ever an alcoholic.