The press watchdog has censured a regional daily after a convicted drug dealer complained about its coverage of his case.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has found against the Liverpool Echo for reporting Ryan Palin had been convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin, when he had in fact been found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine.

The Echo had based the story on a police press release which stated Palin had been “involved” in a conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and amphetamine.

However, the same release mentioned Palin had only been sentenced for conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine.

IPSO found the Echo had failed to take care not to publish inaccurate information but threw out a number of other complaints by Palin, pictured.

Complaining under Clause 1 (Accuracy), Clause 2 (Privacy), Clause 3 (Harassment), and Clause 9 (Reporting of crime) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, Palin claimed he had never been convicted of any charges relating to heroin.

He also believed publication of his street level address might inspire readers to burgle his home and considered the three children who lived at his reported address to be victims of crime.

Palin claimed the children had been bullied because the Echo had allowed members of the public to comment on the story – adding there were comments insulting him, mocking his personal appearance, congratulating the police and calling him a “rat”.

The Echo accepted the error about the drugs Palin had been convicted of conspiracy to supply and published a correction on this point once it was made aware of this.

It said that the article had been based on a press release from the police which stated Palin was involved in a conspiracy to supply 700kg of cocaine, 15kg of heroin and 40kg of amphetamine”, but in relation to his sentencing the announcement stated that he “was sentenced for conspiracy to Supply Class A and B drugs (cocaine and amphetamine)”.

The Echo added it was sorry that Palin’s daughter was affected, but considered the public reaction was due to his decision to break the law rather than the publication of the stories.

IPSO found that where the Echo had sight of the press release prior to publication which clearly stated Palin’s conviction – and which it had, by its own account, used as the basis for its reporting and without making any independent checks – this represented a failure to take care not to publish inaccurate information.

The Committee ruled the published correction put the correct position on record and was offered promptly and with due prominence, while there were no other breaches of Code.

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