The News Media Association – which represents the national, regional and local newspaper and magazine industries – has called on the Independent Police Complaints Commission to reconsider its rejection of a complaint by a reporter who was issued with a harassment notice.

The move puts further pressure on the IPCC, and the Metropolitan Police, over the Police Information Notice (PIN) issued in March last year to Gareth Davies, of the Croydon Advertiser, who was investigating allegations against Neelam Desai, who had already admitted frauds totalling £230,000,

The Metr have rejected Davies' complaint about the PIN, and the IPCC subsequently rejected a further complaint, saying that police officers were not obliged to conduct full investigations into claims of harassment before issuing such notices – even though they can be disclosed on criminal record checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service.