A woman said she had been forced to change her child’s name after it was mentioned in a crime report by a weekly newspaper.

Holly Saunders complained to the Press Complaints Commission that the Bexhill Observer had identified her child as the relative of a person convicted of a crime in breach of Clause 9 (Reporting of Crime) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.

The complainant said that she had been forced to change the child’s name by deed poll following publication.

However the complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the online version of the story, the editor wrote privately to Ms Saunders, and a donation was made to the NSPCC on the her behalf.

Other recently resolved PCC cases involving regional newspapers include:

Richardson v Barnsley Chronicle

Mrs Zoe Richardson complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) that the newspaper had published an error in an obituary.

The complaint was resolved after the newspaper sent the complainant a private letter of apology.

Denny v Ashford Herald

Dianne Denny complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and 3 (Privacy) that the newspaper had reported her home address as her son’s main place of residence when this was not the case.

While no breach of the Code was accepted, the complaint was resolved on the basis of a private letter sent to the complainant by the newspaper, acknowledging the upset that had been caused.

Gunn v John O’Groat Journal

The Gunn Family complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) about an article which inaccurately reported that Jamie Gunn had suffered from a medical condition before his death.

The complaint was resolved after the PCC negotiated the publication, in the newspaper, of a letter from the family.

A woman v Enfield Advertiser

A woman complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) that the newspaper had incorrectly reported that 63pc of parents at a school “did not want the school to allow more children to be enrolled”. In fact, the parents had objected to the proposals for the expansion of the school building, not to more children being enrolled.

The complaint was resolved by the newspaper when it removed the article from its website. Its published version of the article had not included the disputed points.

Rennie v Edinburgh Evening News

Mr Gordon Rennie complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) about an article which had reported that George Lehmann had been charged with rape, as opposed to attempted rape.

The complaint was resolved after the PCC negotiated the publication of the following correction and apology:

“A report in the Evening News on December 11 entitled “Loretto rape charge pupil allowed home to Australia” incorrectly stated that George Lehmann, aged 16, had been charged with rape, when in fact he had been charged with attempted rape and sexual assault. We apologise for the error, and are happy to set the record straight.”

Rennie v Daily Record

Mr Gordon Rennie complained under Clause 1 (Accuracy) about an article which had reported that George Lehmann had been charged with rape, as opposed to attempted rape.

The newspaper made clear that it did not accept a breach of the Code. The complaint was resolved when the online article was removed, after the charges against Mr Lehmann had been dropped.