Resolution Statement – 06836-20 Greens v Daily Record
Summary of Complaint
1. Robert Greens complained to the Independent Press
Standards Organisation that the Daily Record breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of
the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined “DA VINCI RAPIST IS FREE
FOR ONE DAY”, published on 18 May 2020.
2. The article reported on a prisoner who was returned to
prison during day release. The article said that the prisoner had met another male
sex offender and “had managed to grab a few minutes together in the toilets”.
It said that the “tryst” had been discovered through messages on an undeclared
mobile phone and that “explicit phone messages” had “made it clear there had
been a sexual relationship” between the two men.
3. The complainant has said that this was inaccurate in
breach of Clause 1 as he was not gay, had not been caught in a toilet with
another man, nor had he ever owned a secret phone or sent explicit text
messages to another man.
4. The publication said it did not accept a breach of the
Code as it had presented information as a quote from a source, and was
confident the information was accurate.
Relevant Code Provisions
5. Clause 1 (Accuracy)
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate,
misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not
supported by the text.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or
distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and — where
appropriate — an apology published. In cases involving IPSO, due prominence
should be as required by the regulator.
iii) A fair opportunity to reply to significant inaccuracies
should be given, when reasonably called for.
iv) The Press, while free to editorialise and campaign, must
distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.
Mediated Outcome
6. The complaint was not resolved through direct
correspondence between the parties. IPSO therefore began an investigation into
the matter.
7. The publication offered to delete the article.
8. The complainant said that this would resolve the matter
to his satisfaction.
9. As the complaint was successfully mediated, the
Complaints Committee did not make a determination as to whether there had been
any breach of the Code.
Date complaint received: 27/05/2020
Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 05/08/2020
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