A regional news website has apologised for linking a father to his killer son in an article supplied to it by a news agency.

Kent Online admitted a breach of the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s Editors’ Code of Practice after publishing the agency’s copy without “the required care and attention”.

The article in question reported that the man’s son had admitted killing a 10-year-old child and his aunt in a car accident while he was being chased by police.

It included detail of the value of the his house and the companies he owned, as well as reporting that were three cars in the driveway of the house.

The man complained to IPSO that Kent Online had breached Clause 2 (Privacy), Clause 3 (Harassment) and Clause 9 (Reporting of crime) of the Code, claiming he was not relevant to the story and that the value of his house and the number of cars he owned were private information.

Kent Online accepted a breach if Clause 9, responding that the story was supplied to the publication by a reputable news agency.

The site said it took full responsibility for publishing the story, adding that this was not done with the required care and attention.

It agreed to remove all mention of the complainant from the article and apologised for any distress or suffering caused to him or his family.

The complainant said this action resolved the matter to his satisfaction, and the full resolution statement can be read here.