Resolution Statement – 00045-25 A woman v yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

Summary of Complaint

1. A woman complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk breached Clause 1 of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined “'Twisted' thug urinated on Leeds partner during attack and pretended to be an ex-Marine”, and in a Facebook post which linked to the article, both published on 18 December 2024.

2. The article reported that a man had been convicted at Leeds Crown Court after admitting to coercive control and stalking of his ex-partner, the complainant. The article reported: “Even after she finally ended the relationship, he would call and message her, making threats to her and her new boyfriend”, and “He claimed she owed him money, threatened her with violence and her new boyfriend. He told her: ‘You think you can just start seeing a new fella?’”.

3. The complainant said that the article was inaccurate in breach of Clause 1 where it referred twice to “her new boyfriend”. The complainant said this was inaccurate as the man was not her “boyfriend” as they had only been on one date together. Whilst she acknowledged that the article did not identify her directly, she said her ex-partner would know who the article referred to, and expressed concerns about the impact the inaccuracy could have on her ex-partner’s behaviour towards her, in light of the nature and seriousness of his conviction.

4. The publication did not accept that the article was significantly inaccurate where it referred to the victim’s “new boyfriend”. It said that according to the reporter’s contemporaneous court notes, it had been heard in court that the defendant had referred to the man as the complainant’s "new fella". The publication said the term “new fella” was a colloquialism which is synonymous with the term “new boyfriend”. However, in light of the complainant’s concerns it offered to remove the two references to “her new boyfriend” and the line “He told her: ‘You think you can just start seeing a new fella?’”, and publish a correction at the bottom of the article stating “This article was corrected on [date]”.

Relevant Clause Provisions

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

5. The complaint was not resolved through direct correspondence between the parties. IPSO therefore began an investigation into the matter.

6. During IPSO’s investigation the publication reiterated it could remove the following phrases from the article: “and her new boyfriend”; “He claimed she owed him money, threatened her with violence and her new boyfriend“; and “He told her: ‘You think you can just start seeing a new fella?’”

7. The complainant said that this would resolve the matter to her satisfaction.

8. 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: 03/01/2025

Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 09/04/2025