The press watchdog has rapped a news website after a fraudster complained about inaccurate reporting of his sentencing.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has upheld a complaint against Wales Online by Mark Francesco, who pleaded guilty to committing fraud by false representation at Cardiff Crown Court.

Wales Online reported that Francesco was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and was also ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of 30 days and made subject to a restraining order.

But, complaining under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 2 (Privacy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, Francesco said he had in fact only been sentenced to 10 days of rehabilitation activity.

He also claimed that publishing his street level address was unnecessary information that put him and his family at risk.

The Cardiff-based site had accepted the error about the sentencing and published a footnote correction on this point prior to IPSO taking up the matter.

The Reach plc-owned title explained it was entitled to publish Francesco’s partial address because it was heard in court and because it serves to help distinguish people with the same name.

IPSO found Wales Online had not taken sufficient care over the accurate reporting of Francesco’s sentence but found no other breaches of Code.

The complaint was partially upheld, and the full adjudication can be read here.