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September 11, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

NoW likely to escape censure over kidnap plot

By Press Gazette

The News of the World is expected to be cleared “again” by the Press Complaints Commission next week over its involvement in the collapse of the Victoria Beckham kidnap trial.

The commission will hold its ?rst monthly meeting since the summer break on Wednesday.

It is expected to con?rm a decision leaked two months ago not to censure the NoW over the paper’s decision to pay £10,000 to a man involved in an alleged plot to kidnap Beckham.

The release of the adjudication was delayed after an unusual intervention from the Attorney General who returned it to the PCC after raising “a couple of factual points”.

The big decision facing next week’s meeting will be whether to censure Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan for his payment last month of £125,000 to convicted killer Tony Martin.

The Editors’ Code of Practice forbids such payments unless a public interest defence can be proven.

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Newspapers could be censured after photographs were published last week of a 15-year-old boy grieving by the grave of his murdered girlfriend. Journalists interviewed Luke Mitchell shortly after the funeral of schoolgirl Jodi Jones who was murdered two months ago. A PCC spokesman con?rmed that Mitchell’s father had contacted the organisation and was in the early stages of making a formal complaint.

The articles could break section ?ve of the code which relates to intrusion into grief or shock.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

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