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13/05/2009
John Terry's Privacy Complaint Rejected
England captain John Terry has had a privacy complaint against a national newspaper rejected.
The Chelsea defender had complained to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) that stories published in The Sun - relating to his mother and mother-in-law being caught shoplifting - had entirely focused on him, even though he had nothing to do with the incident.
Terry's solicitors argued that this was a breach of clause nine (reporting of crime) of the editors' code of practice, which states: "Relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime should not generally be identified without their consent, unless they are genuinely relevant to the story."
However, the press watchdog has rejected the privacy complaint, ruling the coverage of Terry's wedding - rights to which he sold to a national magazine - featured heavily his mother, Sue Terry, and mother-in-law, Sue Poole.
This meant that his connection to them was established in the public mind, the PCC stated.
The pair had also benefited from the 28-year-old's personal wealth, and lived in houses he had bought for them.
The PCC also said Terry was indeed relevant as his mother and mother-in-law accepted police cautions for shoplifting from Tesco - one of the England football team's sponsors - and Marks & Spencer, which supplied suits to the team.
The Sun paper said that the crime was genuinely relevant to Terry's high-profile as England captain, and therefore in the public interest.
Rejecting his complaint, the PCC said: "The complainant, as captain, could reasonably be said to be the public face of the team.
"He was also one of the highest-earning footballers in the world who, it was said, provided for his family financially.
"The fact that - despite such wealth - his mother and mother-in-law had been involved in claims of shoplifting was clearly relevant to the matter."
(JM/BMcC)
The Chelsea defender had complained to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) that stories published in The Sun - relating to his mother and mother-in-law being caught shoplifting - had entirely focused on him, even though he had nothing to do with the incident.
Terry's solicitors argued that this was a breach of clause nine (reporting of crime) of the editors' code of practice, which states: "Relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime should not generally be identified without their consent, unless they are genuinely relevant to the story."
However, the press watchdog has rejected the privacy complaint, ruling the coverage of Terry's wedding - rights to which he sold to a national magazine - featured heavily his mother, Sue Terry, and mother-in-law, Sue Poole.
This meant that his connection to them was established in the public mind, the PCC stated.
The pair had also benefited from the 28-year-old's personal wealth, and lived in houses he had bought for them.
The PCC also said Terry was indeed relevant as his mother and mother-in-law accepted police cautions for shoplifting from Tesco - one of the England football team's sponsors - and Marks & Spencer, which supplied suits to the team.
The Sun paper said that the crime was genuinely relevant to Terry's high-profile as England captain, and therefore in the public interest.
Rejecting his complaint, the PCC said: "The complainant, as captain, could reasonably be said to be the public face of the team.
"He was also one of the highest-earning footballers in the world who, it was said, provided for his family financially.
"The fact that - despite such wealth - his mother and mother-in-law had been involved in claims of shoplifting was clearly relevant to the matter."
(JM/BMcC)
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