Max Mosley has lost the first round of his High Court battle against the
News of the World, after a judge ruled
against his bid to prevent the newspaper from showing a 90-second video clip of him with five prostitutes.
The Sunday tabloid published a front page exposé nine days ago, alleging the 67-year-old had been involved in a ‘sick Nazi orgy with 5 hookers' near to his London home. Though Mosley does not deny the majority of the claims, he has vigorously rejected any suggestions of Nazi overtones to the five-hour, £2,500 experience, describing them as ‘pure fabrication'.
Mr Justice Eady said the story had received unprecedented international coverage, and argued that since the video was now so widely distributed around the world, there was no reason why it should not be put back on the
News of the World's website. The paper issued a statement following the verdict in which it confirmed the clip would be re-instated ‘forthwith'.
“The dam has effectively burst,” Mr Justice Eady said, according to
Sky Sports. “Although this material is intrusive and demeaning...the granting of an order against this respondent at the present juncture would merely be a futile gesture.”
Mosley was not in court to hear the verdict, and continues his legal action against the paper for breach of privacy, for which he is seeking ‘unlimited damages'. A five-day trial is expected to be held in July. He was earlier successful in claiming an injunction against the red-top to prevent it from re-publishing the same photos it had shown of him in its 30 March edition in its 6 April follow-up feature.
‘
Max Mosley's attempt to suppress the
News of the World's video of his sordid activities has failed,' the statement from the paper read. ‘The film will be placed back on the
News of the World website forthwith.
