Resolution Statement – 11836-20 The Metropolitan Police v
Daily Mail
Summary of Complaint
1. The Metropolitan Police complained to the Independent
Press Standards Organisation that the Daily Mail breached Clause 1 (Accuracy)
of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined “Athlete in racism row
lays blame at Met chief 's door”, published on 7 July 2020.
2. The article reported on the detention of a British
athlete. The subheadline said that the athlete had been subjected to an
“arrest”.
3. The complainant said that the article was inaccurate in
breach of Clause 1, as there had been no arrest.
4. The publication did not accept a breach of Clause 1, and
said that there was no material difference between being arrested and being
detained under the PACE Act.
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 print the following
correction:
"A headline on July 7 about [named athlete] being handcuffed
by police referred to the incident as an ‘arrest’. In fact, she was not
arrested, but detained under stop and search legislation."
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: 10/07/2020
Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 14/07/2020