Recent resolved complaints by the PCC.
Orynski v Daily Mail
Complaint
Mr Tomasz Orynski complained to the Press Complaints Commission on behalf of Zdzislaw Molodynski, about two articles which he considered to have been inaccurate and misleading in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice. The article carried comments attributed to Mr Molodynski, which he claimed not to have made.
Resolution
The complaint was resolved when the PCC negotiated the publication of the following clarification:
Daily Mail
In an article published on the 23rd of December headlined ‘Can you be DUI in a sleigh? Santa and his assistant come to grief after crashing into a wall during drunken sled ride through town’, we reported that a Father Christmas and his helper in Poland were facing drink driving charges, The article also included quotes from Zdzislaw Molodynski. We have since been informed that the Father Christmas and his helper did not face any charges and that Mr Molodynski refutes the quotes that were attributed to him. We are happy to clarify these points. (Cl 1).
Orynski v Huffington Post
Complaint
Mr Tomasz Orynski complained to the Press Complaints Commission on behalf of Zdzislaw Molodynski, about two articles which he considered to have been inaccurate and misleading in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice. The article carried comments attributed to Mr Molodynski, which he claimed not to have made.
Resolution
The complaint was resolved when the PCC negotiated the publication of the following clarification and apology:
Huffington Post
In an article headlined ‘Drunk Santa & Helper Flung From Sleigh Face Drink Driving Charges’ provided to use by the Central European News Agency (CEN), a passer-by Zdzislaw Molodynski was quoted as saying Santa and his helper were drunk. Mr Molodynski has since informed us that he did not make these comments, and we have removed the article and apologise for the inaccuracy. We are also happy to make clear that Santa and his helper did not face any charges (Cl 1).
Markus v The Times
Complaint
Mr Joseph Markus complained to the Press Complaints Commission, under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, that an article which reported on opposition by ministers to the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms had inaccurately reported that the Charter would introduce a new “EU right to marry” into UK law.
Resolution
The complaint was resolved on the basis of the newspaper’s publication of the following reader’s letter:
RIGHT TO MARRY
Sir, Your report “Ministers to block ‘right to marry’ in EU backlash,” (Dec 28) states that the Charter of Fundamental Rights [of the European Union] “enshrines a host of rights not found in other declarations,” one of them being “a proposed ‘right to marry and found a family.’”
Not so. Article 9 of the Charter mirrors Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides that “Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and found a family, according to the national laws governing the exercise of this right.” Article 12 of the Convention was incorporated into English law by the Human Rights Act 1998, section 6 of which provides that it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right.
Perhaps the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, should read the 1998 Act before getting concerned about any new rights guaranteed by the EU Charter. (Cl 1)
Whyte v Daily Record
Complaint
Mr Craig Whyte complained to the Press Complaints Commission, under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 3 (Privacy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, that the newspaper had published an article which inaccurately stated that a fan of Rangers Football Club had been thrown out of a supermarket after launching a “tirade of abuse” at him.
Resolution
The complaint was resolved after the PCC negotiated the publication of the following correction and apology:
Following our article of December 27 2013 we would like to make clear that, contrary to our report, former Rangers owner Craig Whyte was not verbally abused while shopping in Tesco and nobody was thrown out of the store for doing so. We apologise for this error. (Cl 1, 3)
Willetts v NME
Complaint
Mr Kevin Willetts complained to the Press Complaints Commission about an article which he considered to have been inaccurate and misleading in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.
The article reported on a Paul McCartney signing event at HMV, which the complainant attended. The complainant disputed the claim that five hundred copies of the singer’s newly-released album had been signed at the event.
Resolution
The complaint was resolved when the PCC negotiated the publication of the following letter from the complainant:
I refer to your article, ‘Paul McCartney fans reduced to tears at HMV in store signing (18/10/13).
After having travelled over one hundred miles and waited all night, I stood patiently in line – with my newly purchased copy of his latest CD – to meet Paul, take a photograph, and give him a catalogue of my paintings.
Photographs and gifts were forbidden, however, and after I got to the front of the queue Paul got up and left. Priority was given to competition winners and Paul’s most ardent fans were left behind.
Of the hundreds who attended, I estimate that only 150 got their CDs signed. Now, when I play Paul’s music, I hear a voice that no longer speaks to me. (Cl 1)
Thomson v Scottish Daily Mail
Complaint
Mr Douglas Thomson complained to the Press Complaints Commission about an article which he considered to have been inaccurate and misleading in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.
The article reported that supermarket bosses had warned families that they could face a “crippling rise in weekly food bills if Scotland” voted to leave the United Kingdom. The complainant said it was not the case, however, that supermarket bosses had claim that price rises would be “inevitable”.
Summary
The complaint was resolved when the PCC negotiated the publication of the following clarification:
An article on 9 December said that supermarket prices would rise in an independent Scotland. While this was the confident prediction of chief executives of supermarkets we approached, we have been asked to clarify that price increases would not be “inevitable”. (Cl 1)
