A former UK regional press journalist who went overseas to edit a newspaper in the Bahamas has won an award for a series of articles on marital rape.

John Fleet was previously the chief sub at the Hartlepool Mail but became the managing editor of the Nassau-based daily The Tribune when John Marquis stepped down last year.

The paper was honoured by the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association for its ‘Insight’ commentary articles defending a government bill to outlaw marital rape.

John was invited to Austin, Texas to collect the SNPA’s Carmage Walls Commentary Prize Award, which is given to newspapers which advocate strong, courageous and positive editorial page leadership.

He said: “This is a tremendous honour for The Tribune. It was a proud day for me.”

Judges said the articles were ‘incredibly powerful’ and were brave in taking on a taboo subject.

John, who has also worked at The Scotsman, The Northern Echo, Scottish Daily Mail and Scottish Daily Express, won the best front page prize at the North East Press Awards in 2008.

John, left, is pictured with his award along with other winners from the ceremony and Lissa Walls Vahldiek, third left, who presented the award, which is made in memory of her father Carmage Walls. Photo courtesy of RTTNews.