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The LEP has been punished by the Crown Prosecution Service after reporting on court proceedings relating to a brothel.
The Post apparently acted in ignorance of The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (which gives lifelong anonymity to the victims of sexual offences) in a report that named two women as witnesses in the case. However, the same two had, at an earlier stage of proceedings, been identified as victims of sex trafficking offences. After the report appeared in the paper in April local news providers in Brazil (apparently the women’s country of origin) picked up on the information and ran their own follow-up stories. This, according to the CPS, caused the two victims considerable “embarrassment and distress.” As a result the LEP was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay a further £4,000 compensation to the two. The paper released a statement in response to the ruling stating: “Lancashire Evening Post Ltd, publisher of the Lancashire Evening Post, has pleaded guilty to two offences under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 following the identification of two victims of sexual offences.
"At the same time, Simon Reynolds, editorial director of the Lancashire Evening Post, pleaded not guilty to two similar charges, and the Crown has withdrawn these charges. "Lancashire Evening Post Ltd was fined a total of £3,000 for the two offences and ordered to pay compensation totalling £4,000 to the two women, and costs of £45, at Preston Magistrates Court on December 11.
"District Judge Peter Ward said he was satisfied that neither Mr Reynolds nor the newspaper had recognised the women as victims, and added: 'The article was not recklessly or deliberately published - it was through the process of putting together the story and deadlines'." Something to add? Then leave a comment below or email us now.
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