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.

Newbury Weekly News
Mark Smith, of Berkshire, complained that the newspaper had inaccurately reported the proceedings of the inquest into his mother’s death.

He said that reference to his mother’s GP being “exonerated” suggested that the GP had been the subject of an accusation, when this was not the case; that the GP had not stated that he had scheduled a heart scan for the next day, as reported; and that his extensive questioning of the medical staff at the inquest on the subject of female heart attack had not been mentioned in the article. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the complainant agreed to accept the newspaper’s offer to publish the following correction:

“A report in the Newbury Weekly News (May 28, 2009) of the inquest into the death of Mrs Sally Smith, of Inkpen, stated that Dr Nick Yates, of Kintbury Surgery, had told the hearing that he had scheduled a heart scan for Mrs Smith for the day after she died. We have been asked to point out that it had been the intention to review Mrs Smith with more tests the following morning. None had been scheduled. The Newbury Weekly News apologises for the inaccuracy.”

Press and Journal, Aberdeen
Donna Shearing, of Fraserburgh, complained that the newspaper had listed their address as the residence of a man convicted for a violent attack on a rival gang member. She said that the man had previously lived there, but that she and her husband had purchased the house in February 2008. She was worried that there could be reprisal attacks against her house by the rival gang as a result of the article. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when, on provision of evidence that the complainant lived at that address, the newspaper agreed to publish the following correction:

“We have been asked to point out that Stephen Caldwell, who was jailed for eight months in March after admitting an assault charge, was no longer living at 14, Hillcrest, Fraserburgh, the address given on court papers at the time.”

Harrow Observer
David Shea, of Harrow, complained that a picture in which his two children could be recognised had been used to illustrate a story on children being sold as slaves and prostitutes, in breach of Clause 6 (Children).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper contacted the complainant and offered to remove the picture from the online article and to ensure that it was not used again by permanently removing it from its image library.

Liverpool Echo
Richard Morris, of Heswall, complained that a front page banner headline was inaccurate and misleading when it suggested that Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez would discuss the footballer David Villa on the back page. In fact, the article in question did not contain any comments attributed to Mr Benitez. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper – which said that the error had occurred as the result of a regrettable miscommunication against a tight deadline and was not a deliberate attempt to mislead – reviewed its internal procedures in addition to making a donation to charity as a gesture of goodwill.

The News, Portsmouth
Mike Eames, of Waterlooville, complained that the newspaper had published several articles concerning his company, Shoal Enforcement, which had excluded relevant information regarding the cases cited, in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to publish a letter from the complainant outlining his concerns and detailing the precise circumstances of the cases in question.