Below are summaries of complaints involving the regional press which have been resolved between the parties involved, with help from the Press Complaints Commission.

Cambridge News
Mrs B Ingham complained that the newspaper had wrongly published a still from a CCTV recording that showed her standing at a shop counter. The newspaper had identified her as a woman wanted by the police for theft when this was not the case. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper re-published the CCTV image accompanied by the following correction and apology:

“Police have apologised to a woman whose CCTV image was mistakenly released to the press. Officers wrongly used a photograph of Mrs B Ingham as part of an investigation into a theft from One Stop in Ditton Lane, Cambridge on June 7.

“Cambridgeshire police issued the image to the press, including the News, saying that they wanted to speak to the woman pictured, which was Mrs Ingham. But the image should have been of another person in the store, whom officers were attempting to identify.

“Police have clarified that Mrs Ingham is not wanted for theft and officers are still looking for the person responsible. A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: ‘CCTV images are released in good faith but on this occasion an error was made and we apologise to Mrs Ingham for any distress or inconvenience caused.’ The News would also like to apologise to Mrs Ingram for the distress caused by the publication of the photograph on 22 July.”

The Citizen, Gloucester
Robin Evans complained that the newspaper had inaccurately referred to him as a former friend of the man who was charged with assaulting him, and had also misquoted the claims that man had made in court regarding the circumstances of the assault. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to publish the following statement:

“In a report about the conviction of Nicholas Dyson on 29 August 2009, we incorrectly stated that Dyson told the court that things had turned sour between him and his assault victim, Robin Evans, when Mr Evans thought ‘something was going on’ between Dyson and Dyson’s ex-girlfriend, Sasha Jones.

“In fact, Dyson said things had turned sour when Mr Evans thought ‘something was going on’ between Dyson and another woman, not Ms Jones. We also suggested that Mr Evans and Dyson had been former friends.

“In fact, Mr Evans told the Court that although he had known of Dyson for many years, he denied that they had ever been friends, a claim made by Dyson. We are happy to make the position clear.”

Belfast Telegraph
Derek Milliken complained on behalf of his brother-in-law, Laurence Armour, that an article which reported a tragic motorcycle accident involving Mr Armour and his wife was inaccurate and misleading. In particular, he made clear that a claim from a source – that Mr Armour had not been informed of his wife’s death – was entirely incorrect. (Clause 1).

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

“An article of 2 September about a tragic motorcycle accident involving Laurence and Angela Armour reported claims from a source that Mr Armour – who was seriously injured in the crash – had not been informed of the subsequent death of his wife from her injuries. In fact, Mr Armour was informed of the death two hours after his wife’s passing. We would like to apologise to Mr Armour and his family for the distress caused by the publication of the report.”

Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Aaron Brown complained to the Press Complaints Commission that an article contained a number of inaccuracies about the inquest into the death of his late brother, Terry Brown. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The complaint was resolved privately between the parties when the newspaper published the following correction and apology:

“Terry Brown inquest: apology
“In a report in Thursday’s Chronicle and Echo regarding the inquest into the death of Terry Brown, reference was made to an assault on Mr Brown’s fiancée. We would like to make it clear that this was an alleged assault and at the time of Mr Brown’s death he had been released on bail pending further inquiries.

“The report also stated that Mr Brown had left a handwritten note to his fiancée threatening to harm himself. It has since been made clear to us that this note was undated and had been disregarded by the coroner as a vague letter which did not make a direct reference to him harming himself. We are happy to make the corrections and apologise to the family for any upset caused.”

Liverpool Echo
A man complained than an article was inaccurate in describing a police seizure of “genetically engineered super skunk”. He said that there was no such thing as genetically engineered cannabis. (Clause 1).

Resolution: The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification in its regular It’s Your Echo column, which read:

“On 17 September, we reported that a huge cannabis farm of more than 1,500 plants was uncovered on Rainford industrial estate, St Helens. The report speculated that the drugs were likely to be ‘genetically engineered super skunk’. A reader has complained that there is no such thing. We are happy to bow to his superior knowledge.”

Comments

john taylor (09/04/2010 14:19:48)
The Northampton Echo piece – how can you have an inquest into the death of his late brother (this implies he died twice!.

Weary (12/04/2010 09:58:04)
Most of these blunders look like they are the result of amateurs and beginners. It is revealing just how short the chain from notebook to published page is becoming….leaving aside the fact that a reporter who cannot bring back an accurate account of an inquest should be flayed alive and rolled in salt.