The Sunday World editor has said printing a photograph of a man who had taken his own life was justified in the public interest.
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The newspaper has come under fire for showing the picture of a man whose body was found at a bridge on the outskirts of Bangor on Saturday.
Editor Jim McDowell told UTV he apologised if hurt and offence had been caused to families who have lost loved ones through suicide.
But he insisted the body should never have been left in full view for several hours.
"There were no screens put up and, in terms of the public interest, the point of that story was - and the picture was published in the context of the point of the story - why was this poor man allowed to hang there for that length of time in the public domain for the public to see it and quite possibly recoil from it?" he asked.
In a statement, police said officers followed usual procedures in case of sudden death, as they must thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, including the scene.
The statement continued: "A number of cordons and diversions were put in place during the police investigation into the death on the bridge at the Belfast Road, Bangor, and the body was removed as soon as it was possible to do so.
"Police regret any distress caused to the family or local residents."
'Shock'
Philip McTaggart from suicide awareness group PIPS said both the newspaper and the police have questions to answer.
"They should have put up a screen, they should have covered the body in some way to stop people and children from viewing this young man," said Mr Taggart, who lost his own son through suicide.
"It was totally unacceptable and an absolute shock. I couldn't believe yesterday what I was seeing and I was just looking at it in a photograph in a paper.
"So what about people and young children who were driving by, how do they feel this morning? He asked.
"I'm sure some people might even possibly need counselling after something like that."
Sinn Fein MLA for Upper Bann, John O'Dowd, has slammed the picture's publication as "totally irresponsible and reprehensible".
He said he had lodged a formal complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.
"The family of this man will be suffering enough without having his dead body photographed and published on the front page of a newspaper," he said.
"The issue of suicide is one which has tragically affected many families across the north and undoubtedly the publication of this photo will cause great hurt."
The PCC has received 70 complaints from members of the public.
Counselling support service Lifeline can be reached on 0808 808 8000.
It provides confidential crisis counselling support on difficult issues including suicidal feelings, self-harm, abuse, trauma, depression and anxiety, 24/7 every day of the year.
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