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Latest resolved complaints dealt with by the PCC

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.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle
A woman complained that a reporter had spoken to her son’s fiancée following reports of the alleged death of her son. As the complainant’s son was abroad with the Armed Forces, his fiancée assumed that she was being informed of his death by the reporter. The family then had to contact the Armed Forces before learning that, in fact, he was alive and well and the reporter had been mistaken. (Clause 5)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper – having investigated the circumstances of the case – sent a personal letter of apology to the complainant and indicated that systems would be put in place to ensure that the situation would not be repeated in future.

Oban Times
Catherine Will of Ross-shire complained that the newspaper had printed her name and home telephone number without permission. She also complained on behalf of a number of others to whom the same thing had happened. (Clause 3)
Resolution: The matter was resolved when the editor of the newspaper wrote to all those whose details had been published to apologise for the distress caused by the inadvertent appearance of their names and telephone numbers. He indicated that the newspaper had reviewed its pre-press procedures and taken action to reduce the opportunity for the circumstances that led to the error being repeated.

Scotland on Sunday
Douglas D F Rae, Chairman of Greenock Morton Football Club, complained through solicitors Harper Macleod of Glasgow that an article was inaccurate when it stated that he and a third party owed not inconsiderable sums to Dundee United Football Club manager Ian McCall. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology.

Lutterworth Mail
Thomas Gilbert, of Lutterworth, complained that the publication of a photograph of his late son – copied from a picture left at the scene of his death – was intrusive and insensitive. (Clause 5)
Resolution: The editor of the newspaper wrote personally to the complainant to apologise for distress caused to him and his wife. He also provided an assurance that the image would not be used again.

Leicester Mercury
Thomas Gilbert, of Lutterworth, complained that the publication of a photograph of his late son – copied from a picture left at the scene of his death – was intrusive and insensitive. (Clause 5)
Resolution: The editor of the newspaper wrote personally to the complainant to apologise for distress caused to him and his wife. He also provided an assurance that the image would not be used again.

Derbyshire Times
P Richardson, of Chesterfield, complained that an article revealed the identity of his son, who was thirteen, without the prior consent of any member of his immediate family. He also complained that journalists had phoned the hospital whilst his son was in a critical condition. (Clauses 3, 5, 9)
Resolution: The publication offered to write a personal letter of apology. It also tagged all references to the complainant’s son in its database and forwarded to the complainant the internal memo that was circulated to the paper’s employees, designed to ensure that a similar occurrence would not happen again.

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