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.

Yorkshire Evening Post
Simon Clarkson complained (with the signed authorisation of his son, Daniel Clarkson) to the Press Complaints Commission that the newspaper had published two inaccurate articles. The first stated that Daniel had attacked his ‘pal’ when the victim was, in fact, a stranger.

The second featured a photograph of his son and claimed he had been involved in an incident of domestic violence. This was incorrect as the man involved was a different Daniel, Daniel Kitchen. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification and apology in a prominent position:

“On 5 September the Yorkshire Evening Post reported that Daniel Clarkson had been imprisoned for attacking a close friend with a knife. We would like to make clear that the victim, Christopher McCarthy, was unknown to Mr Clarkson.

“We have also been asked to make clear that Daniel Kitchen was jailed for threatening to cut his girlfriend’s throat with a knife, not Mr Clarkson as we mistakenly stated in an article on 7 September. We are happy to clarify these points and apologise for the distress caused by the errors.”

Stranraer and Wigtown Free Press
Simon Baggott, company secretary of Conlin Properties Limited, complained that the newspaper had inaccurately reported that Dumfries and Galloway Council fought off an appeal against a notice that had been served on the company to undertake maintenance works on the former Grapes Hotel in Whithorn. The period set for the work to be completed was too short and – for that reason – the appeal was, in fact, allowed. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification in the following terms:

“Further to our article of 15 April ‘Council fight off appeal over former hotel’, we have been asked to clarify that although the council was successful in fighting off part of Conlin Properties’ appeal – that the notice to give the former Grapes Hotel a facelift ‘exceeded what was necessary’ – the claim that the period set for the work to be completed was too short was agreed by the Reporter for the Scottish Government.

“As a result, an extension for the work to be completed was granted, as our article later made clear. The council therefore failed to fight off that part of the appeal, and the appeal was allowed, which the article also made clear. We are happy to clarify the position.”

Dorset Echo
Rebecca Pell complained that the newspaper, in an article about her ex-partner’s death, had identified her young son and published his photograph without her consent. She was also concerned that the piece contained inaccuracies regarding her son’s care arrangements. (Clauses 1, 6).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification and apology headlined ‘Keith Brown’ in a prominent position:

“In the Dorset Echo on 16 July we named and published a photograph of Keith Brown’s son. We published this in good faith after being supplied with the photographs and details by Keith Brown’s parents Trevor and Irene Brown.

“However, we did not seek permission to use the name and photograph of Keith Brown’s son from the child’s mother Rebecca Pell and we apologise for the distress caused, which was certainly not our intention. Ms Pell has also asked us to point out that, in her view, she and Mr Brown were on good terms and he had regular access to his son. We are happy to clarify this.”

Surrey Advertiser
Kevin Grogan of Cobham complained that the newspaper had misrepresented comments he had made about how he would vote in the upcoming county council elections. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The newspaper provided the reporter’s notes in support of the quotes it had used. However, it published the following clarification as a resolution to the case:

“In an article published by the Surrey Advertiser on 15 May, entitled ‘Politicians Need to be more Accessible’, we reported that Cobham resident Kevin Grogan had claimed he would vote Labour in the forthcoming Surrey County Council elections. Mr Grogan has now asked us to make clear he is a supporter of the Conservative Party.”

Irish News
Jim Boland, parade organiser of Coote Memorial Lodge, complained that an article was inaccurate when it stated that a parade which took place in Belfast on 19 June 2009 had been organised by the lodge, which was referred to, in addition, as a loyal order. In fact, Coote Memorial had neither organised nor participated in the parade. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following correction:

“A report on 20 June said that a contentious parade in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast the previous night had been organised by the Coote Memorial loyal order. We would like to acknowledge that Coote Memorial is an orange lodge rather than a loyal order, and it did not organise or participate in the event in question.”