Obama accidentally depicted as rape suspect on Fox 5 News

POTUS was strapped with a 'NO CHARGES' caption

As TV news errors go it doesn't come much worse than labelling the President of the United States of America a rapist, but that's exactly what Fox 5 San Diego inadvertently managed to do during its 10 o'clock news on Friday night.

"The only suspect in a sex assault at SDSU will not be charged," Emmy-winning anchor Kathleen Bade told viewers, as a photo of a serious-looking Obama appeared beside her.

Worse, the image was strapped with a 'NO CHARGES' caption.

It took Fox 5 a little while to spot the error, with the wrong photo staying up until it went to VT.

"Yeah, there was an accident when they had an over-the-shoulder display", assignment editor Mike Wille told Times of San Diego.

Fox News has never been the president's biggest fan, but the station insisted painting him as a criminal wasn't intentional.

"It wasn't on purpose," Wille added.

He said there was no on-air apology because "They really don’t do that when it’s a small thing like that." I look forward to whatever constitutes a "big thing".

CHRISTOPHER HOOTON-EIN