View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
January 9, 2013

Alloa and Hillfoots Wee County News censured by PCC over housing association fraud claims

By William Turvill

A weekly paper in Scotland has been censured by the Press Complaints commission after wrongly suggesting a housing assocation was the perpetrator of a "disgraceful fraud".

The Alloa and Hillfoots Wee County News accused Ochil View Housing Association of being "entangled upon a disgraceful fraud".

The housing association’s director, George Tainsh, said the article was “fundamentally inaccurate” and the PCC has ruled that the article was in breach of Clause 1 (accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.

The article, publish on 17 July 2012, was headlined "Ochil View Housing fraud scandal", and implicated Tainsh as well as the company.

The paper told the PCC that it obtained the story from a confidential source, who had provided two sets of minutes from the company’s management committee.

The PCC judged that the internal documents provided by the newspaper actually suggested the housing association was a victim in the affair.

The title had maintained that ex-members of staff were suspected of involvement in the fraud, but later offered to publish an apology and clarification.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Charlotte Dewar, Head of Complaints and Pre-publication Services said: "The allegations contained in the story were of an extremely serious nature and the newspaper was slow to recognise that clarification of the Association's position was needed.  

“This ruling serves as a reminder that taking care over the accuracy of the story is particularly important where the story has the potential to damage the reputation of an individual or an organisation."

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network