The majority of complaints made to the Press Complaints Commission, which raise a possible breach of the Code of Practice, are resolved directly between the Commission’s staff, editors and complainants.

These are either settled to the express satisfaction of the complainant following some remedial action by the editor or are not pursued by complainants following an explanation or other response from the publication.

Below are summaries of the latest complaints involving the regional press which fall into the first category.

Liverpool Echo
Robert Palethorpe of Ramsgate complained about an article which described the reaction of a woman, whose partner had been paralysed by a BB gun, when she saw that similar guns were for sale in a Pound World shop. He contended that it would be impossible for the pellets of a plastic BB gun to penetrate the skin, or indeed to cause a serious puncture that would result in paralysis. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to publish a letter from the complainant which addressed his concerns.

Edinburgh Evening News
Christopher Trim of the company ‘Blazered’ complained that an article had inaccurately claimed that another company had set up the UK’s first online shop for buying and selling second hand uniforms. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant which made clear that blazered.co.uk were in fact the first to launch such a site.

Shropshire Star
David Fletcher of Ludlow complained that an article reporting the inquest into his son’s tragic death was inaccurate. His address was Normandie Close, not Normandie Road; his son had been visiting his grandmother not his grandparents when he died and; his son was not sick and in distress before being rushed to hospital – rather he fell asleep and never woke again. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a correction of the relevant points, noting that the errors were due to it being provided with incorrect information.

Express & Star
David Fletcher of Ludlow complained that an article reporting the inquest into his son’s tragic death was inaccurate. His address was Normandie Close, not Normandie Road; his son had been visiting his grandmother not his grandparents when he died and; his son was not sick and in distress before being rushed to hospital – rather he fell asleep and never woke again. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a correction of the relevant points, noting that the errors were due to it being provided with incorrect information.

Press & Journal
J Simpson, director of Kessock Service Station, complained that an article was inaccurate when it stated that the business sold the most expensive unleaded petrol in Inverness. In fact, the price quoted was for a high performance petrol called Optimax. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction on the matter.