The Scottish newspaper accused of inaccurately portraying a murdered schoolgirl as a bully at the Leveson inquiry has apologised for any upset it has caused to her parents.
The Herald issued a statement after Margaret and Jim Watson attacked the reporting by a former columnist, Jack McLean, of their daughter's murder, and the paper's reaction to their complaints at the time. He wrote under the pen-name "the Urban Voltaire".
Newsquest's Glasgow-based paper said it "deeply regrets any action which added to the Watson family's grief over the tragic loss of their daughter and later their son". "The columns were published some 20 years ago when the group was under different ownership and editorial control and the freelance columnist involved has not worked for the company for some years," the Herald added.
A close friend of McLean's said on Tuesday afternoon the columnist had not been warned in advance that he would be named during the Leveson hearings and may seek legal advice. "He's in a bit of a state of shock," the friend said. "He's quite upset."
The Herald statement added: "Comments critical of Herald columns published after the 1991 murder of 16-year-old Glasgow schoolgirl Diane Watson were made at today's Leveson inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press.
"The Herald & Times Group, which publishes the Herald, is committed to the highest quality of journalism and accuracy in its reporting and analysis and adheres to the Press Complaints Commission code of conduct.