Britain's Press Complaints Commission has censured a blogger who made claims that most of the violent crime in London is committed by young African-Caribbean men.

It is the first time the press watchdog, which oversees editorial content of newspaper and magazines, has upheld a complaint against a blog.

The commission said Rod Liddle, a blogger for the the Spectator and the Sunday Times, had breached the Editor's Code of Practice in terms of accuracy.

Stephen Abell, director of the PCC, said the ruling is significant because it shows that blogs should adhere to the same standards of accuracy and fair comment as print editions of newspapers and magazines.

"With this new development of blogging, which is a medium which does attract comments and rightfully so, it's a very healthy medium for robust comment, but it's not a free-for-all," Abell told CBC News.

"There are moments where the PCC code must be seen to apply and that's where you make statements of fact that are challenged.

Liddle had written that "the overwhelming majority of street crime, knife crime, gun crime, robbery and crimes of sexual violence in London is carried out by young men from the African-Caribbean community."

He went on to mock British multiculturalism, saying "we have rap music, goat curry, and a far more vibrant and diverse understanding of cultures which were once alien to us. For which, many thanks."

There were several complaints about the blog. The PCC asked the Spectator and Liddle to back up the claim that most violence crime is carried out by young black man, but neither could produce evidence.

The press watchdog rejected the Spectator's argument that allowing users to comment on Liddle's blog was sufficient censure. Many commenters had added posts taking issue with his remarks.

Liddle, a former BBC presenter, is known for his provocative remarks.

The magazine is required to publish an authoritative correction online.