On Tuesday, an elderly female pedestrian was struck by a car at the roundabout at the intersection of Bong Bong and Merrigang streets. She later died in hospital.

Then on Wednesday, Mittagong tow truck operator Geoff Clark and a young woman from Springwood died in the most horrific of circumstances on the Hume Highway.

The two were hit by a passing truck as Mr Clark was helping the woman, whose car had broken down.

We knew early on Wedenesday afternoon that Mr Clark was one of the victims, but withheld his name from our website story at the request of the family.

Unfortunately, other media did not. The Daily Telegraph, in true tabloid, gutter journalism-style, posted Mr Clark's name on its website as soon as it possibly could on Wednesday afternoon, despite police not officially releasing his name until lunchtime yesterday.

A Sydney television station did the same thing in its news bulletin ? and that is how Samantha Clark learnt about her husband's death.

Imagine the trauma for this mother of four boys to learn of the death of her husband and the father of her children, all because of irresponsible journalists.

Imagine trying to explain that TV report to your children when you don't have the full facts from police.

This is a prime example of the scum "journalism" that gives responsible journalists, such as those working for this newspaper, a bad name. I wonder whether these metro "journos" would be so forthcoming and happy to publish a name if a tragedy befell one of their own family members. Probably not.

To the Clark family - and the family of the elderly woman pedestrian - our sincere condolences.