The press watchdog has rapped a regional news website for inaccurately claiming a man currently awaiting trial over sex offences had been charged with rape.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation upheld a complaint against Kent Live from Gary Collier, whose son Trevor is in custody and is due to go on trial at Canterbury Crown Court later this month (April).
Kent Live had assumed a charge of “sexual assault” against Trevor Collier, mentioned in a police press release, referred to a rape investigation which had been launched in June 2017.
In a report on Trevor Collier’s arrest in November, the site stated in the headline and standfirst that he had been charged with the alleged rape.
But, complaining to IPSO on his son’s behalf under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editor’s Code, Gary Collier said no rape charge had been brought.
The body of the story in question made no mention of a rape charge, reporting that Trevor Collier had been charged with sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and committing an offence with the intention of committing a sexual offence, following an incident which took place in June 2017.
Kent Live said the story had been based on information contained within two police press releases.
The first, issued in June 2017, stated: “officers from Kent Police who are investigating a report that a woman was raped, are appealing for witnesses.”
The second, issued in November 2017, said that the complainant’s son had been charged on suspicion of committing a “serious sexual assault” following an incident which took place in the early hours of Friday 2 June 2017.
Kent Live said that it had assumed that the charge of “sexual assault” was in reference to the initial rape investigation in June 2017, but later amended the headline and article to remove references to “rape”. while a footnote clarifying the charges was also added to the piece.
During IPSO’s investigation, Kent Live also offered to publish a correction to appear on its homepage for 24 hours.
IPSO found Kent Live had in its possession the list of charges which Trevor Collier faced, which had set out clearly that he had not been charged with rape.
The site had inaccurately assumed that the reference to a “serious sexual assault” meant that an original rape investigation had resulted in a formal charge, which represented a failure to take care over the accuracy of the article.
The complaint was upheld, and the full adjudication can be read here.
Trevor Collier has denied all charges against him and is due to go on trial at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday 24 April.
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
“Kent Live had assumed…”
Shocking
Report this comment
Shakes head in a mixture of horror and sadness.
Report this comment
Then newspapers wonder why so many people want to clamp down further on what we can report. Sadly, it is now new or plentiful but the cavalier attitude adopted by some who should know better beggars belief. I remember years ago when I used to cover a crown court I discovered that the news editor was sending a completely raw recruit to cover a certain serious charge instead of me. I protested and eventually she came along with me. It wasn’t a case of being a prima donna but of trying to protect the integrity of the paper. She independently wrote up a piece about the same court case. If it had gone in then we would have probably broken the bank in libel costs. Call me old-fashioned but that is why newspapers still need “old” hands but, sadly, appear to be getting rid of them because it is cheaper to hire younger, more inexpensive youngsters. They need a start in life but they also need nurturing not thrown into the deep end in this litigious age.
Report this comment
I recall one of the very first lessons of my journalism training….to assume makes as ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me’. Trite, but I never forgot it.
Report this comment
“IPSO found Kent Live had in its possession the list of charges which Trevor Collier faced, which had set out clearly that he had not been charged with rape.”
Enough said.
Report this comment
Anyone supervise this website? How much experience?
Report this comment