A teenager convicted of killing a cat complained to the press watchdog after a regional daily stated he had put the pet in a washing machine.

The Derby Telegraph covered Harry Thompson’s court case following the animal’s death, reporting he had “shut” the cat in the appliance overnight until it suffocated.

But, complaining to IPSO under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, Thompson said he had pleaded guilty on the basis that he had not placed the cat in the washing machine himself, but that he had failed to assist it in any way.

The Telegraph had relied on the original court reports, which did not include a note with the basis of the plea that had been accepted by the prosecution.

The washing machine in which the cat died

After receiving a letter from Thompson’s solicitor and finding the court reports updated to include a note on the basis of the plea, it amended the online article to remove any reference to him having shut the cat in the washing machine.

The Telegraph added a footnote to its online article and also ran a clarification in print on this point.

This resolved the matter to Thompson’s satisfaction , and IPSO there did not make a determination as to whether there had been any breach of the Code. The full adjudication can be read here.

Thompson appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre last month where he admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.  He was given a four-month detention training order.