Resolved complaints dealt with by the Press Complaints Commission during April, May and June 2001

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.

Listed below are summaries of those complaints, concerning regional newspapers, which fall into the former category.

Courier & Advertiser
Mr Ian Taylor of Kirriemuir complained through solicitors that an article had inaccurately reported his conviction for assault. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification and apology.

Droitwich Advertiser
Norman Green of Worcestershire complained that a headline had inaccurately suggested that a teenage girl had been attacked by a dog in his pub. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification and apology.

Evening News (Edinburgh)
Mrs Mary Tiffney, of Edinburgh, complained that an article misleadingly implied that she and other members of her family were aware that her grandson planned to buy and drive a high-powered car in which his cousin and friend were subsequently killed when it was involved in a road accident. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification, which stated that the complainant and her family had no idea that her grandson planned to buy the car involved in the tragedy.

Glamorgan Gazette
Mrs Sara Grinnell of Bridgend complained that a photograph of her children, which had been willingly provided by their grandparents, had been published without her permission. (Clause 6)
Resolution: The newspaper published an apology and an assurance that no photos of the children would appear in future articles relating to the recent death of their father, the complainant’s estranged husband.

Hull Daily Mail
Mr John Townend complained that he had been inaccurately quoted as suggesting that the British were becoming a ‘mongrel race’ when he had actually been criticising the then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a correction and apology.

Kirriemuir Herald
Mr Ian Taylor of Kirriemuir complained through solicitors that an article had inaccurately reported his conviction for assault. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification and apology.

Lancashire Evening Post
Mrs Lorraine Singleton of Chorley complained that an article reporting repair work carried out by her company had contained inaccuracies. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper apologised to the complainant.

North West Evening Mail
Mrs Lynn Connolly of Millom, Cumbria complained that an article had attributed comments to her which she had never made. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a correction and apology, and explained why the correction had appeared in the position it had.

: West Suffolk Mercury
Mrs Beverly Crawford of Suffolk complained that an article reporting an inquest into the death of her son had contained inaccuracies, intruded into her family’s grief, and been discriminatory. (Clauses 1, 5, 13)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification and apologised for any distress caused.

Western Morning News
Mr Martin Hughes-Jones of the South West Green Party in Tiverton complained that an article inaccurately described an event organised by the Green Party as an ‘impromptu rally’. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a correction.

Worcester Evening News
Norman Green of Worcestershire complained that a headline had inaccurately stated that he owned a dog which had attacked a teenage girl. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a clarification and apology.

Yorkshire Post
The Reverend Philip Evans complained about two separate articles which inaccurately stated that at a meeting in the summer of 2000 his parishioners had passed a vote of no confidence in him. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The newspaper published a statement clarifying that those who had attended the meeting had been told that a proposed motion of no confidence in the Parochial Church Council was not about Mr Evans.

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