The PCC has thrown out a complaint against the Cambridge Evening News for publishing excerpts from emails sent between a complainant – whose wife had been convicted of stabbing his mistress – and the newspaper's editor.
Complainant John Foster initially emailed editor Murray Morse (pictured) to point out inaccuracies in the paper's story about the case headlined "Ultimate act of betrayal" and to discuss the sale of pictures and the story of his mistress, believing the correspondence was confidential.
When the emails were published Foster complained the paper was in breach of clause 1(accuracy), clause 3 (privacy) and clause 14 (confidential sources. Morse argued he had no obligation not to publish the emails and critisised the complainant for further betraying his wife.
The commission decided there was not sufficient evidence the editor had acknowledged the complainant should be treated as a confidential source. It also considered the emails did not contain material relating to the complainant's private life and that the related article did not contain significant inaccuracies.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
