Journalists should not name children who have been arrested on suspicion of a crime except in special circumstances, the press watchdog has decided.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has amended its Editors’ Code of Practice to offer increased protection to children accused of crime following a public consultation on the guidelines.

In a move that goes further than the law requires, the Code will now state that editors should generally avoid naming children after arrest for a criminal offence, but before they appear in court – unless they can show the individual’s name is already in the public domain or that consent has been given.

IPSO’s Editors’ Code of Practice Committee has also decided to amend Clause 2 (Privacy) so that in considering what constitutes a reasonable expectation of privacy, account will be taken of the complainant’s own public disclosures of information and the extent to which the material complained about is already in the public domain or will become so.

And a change has also been made to Clause 11 (Victims of sexual assault) brings the wording in line with the law to clarify the responsibilities that editors have under the Code and to avoid a “chilling effect” on lawful court reporting.

The Committee has further recommended that IPSO should consider and discuss with members how they might report on transparency policies concerning editorial and commercial relationships.

It follows a number of submissions received during the consultation referring to allegations, which were denied, that commercial considerations influenced the Daily Telegraph’s coverage of HBOS.

Trinity Mirror group executive editor Neil Benson, pictured above left, chaired the Committee.

He said: “A great deal of careful thought and debate has gone into the Code review and the ongoing development of the Editors’ Codebook. The latest changes strengthen and give even greater clarity to the Code, which sets the professional practice standards for the vast majority of the UK’s journalists.”

IPSO chairman Sir Alan Moses added: “The Editors’ Code of Practice is the cornerstone of IPSO’s contractual agreement with the press and I welcome these changes, which further strengthen its protections for the public.

“The new Code, along with the Editors’ Codebook, provides a framework for a trusted, thriving and free press which is vital to our democracy. It is also important that so many individuals and organisations contributed to these changes through the consultation.”