A COMPLAINT from a relative of Willie Frazer against The Irish News has been rejected by the independent regulator for the newspaper industry.
It related to a comment article about the loyalist victims campaigner written by security correspondent and columnist Allison Morris shortly after his death last year.
The column explained that Mr Frazer had been a controversial figure, but argued that this should not undermine respect for how he and his family had suffered during the Troubles.
Mr Frazer's cousin Gordon Murdock complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) about a section of the article, which read: "Willie Frazer was a victim. Five members of his family were murdered. That some of those people were linked to the Glenanne gang has been well-publicised."
He argued that it breached clauses in the Editors' Code of Practice on 'accuracy' and 'intrusion into grief or shock'.
Mr Murdock said none of Mr Frazer's murdered relatives had been publicly linked to the Glenanne gang.
He provided a document from the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) in 2012 which stated that it found no evidence that Mr Frazer's murdered father Bertie Frazer was a member of, or associated with, any paramilitary organisation.
Mr Murdock also disputed that Mr Frazer himself had been involved in any paramilitary activity, although he acknowledged such claims had been published following his death.
The Irish News apologised for any distress caused, but did not accept that the article was inaccurate.
It cited how in 2017, two Northern Ireland publications had reported that Bertie Frazer had been involved in the Glenanne gang, based on claims made in a Ministry of Defence document.
It said the reference to "some of those people" included Willie Frazer himself, pointing out that the gang was essentially part of the UVF, to which Mr Frazer had been linked in a BBC documentary last October.
The publication also did not accept that there was a failure to handle the article sensitively.
It said the column was sympathetic to Willie Frazer and his family, and when the complainant had contacted the publication prior to making an IPSO complaint, efforts were made to try and resolve his concerns.
The disputed section was removed from the online article, and a clarification was published in the next newspaper edition.
In its ruling, IPSO said that notwithstanding the family's position on the credibility of the allegations, there was no failure to take care in reporting the links.
It said there was no breach of the 'accuracy' clause and no requirement to print a correction, but it "welcomed the publication's prompt clarification putting the finding of the Historical Enquiries Team on the record".
IPSO acknowledged the article had caused the family distress, but said the code of practice does not prohibit criticism of a person who has recently died.
Irish News editor Noel Doran said: "This was an important ruling by the IPSO committee and one which I welcome.
"Allison Morris, in the course of her column, was fully entitled to consider the late Willie Frazer's frequently contentious role as a public figure, but also stressed that he and his family had suffered during the Troubles and that he himself was a victim.
"When the Frazer family subsequently contacted us, we noted their representations on one aspect of the column and swiftly published a clarification and expression of regret.
"I believe that we maintained high professional standards at all times, and I am pleased that IPSO has vindicated our approach."
