"The newspaper believed that what it published on 30 March 2008 was legitimate and lawful and moreover, the publication was justified in by the public interest in exposing Mr Mosley's serious impropriety. As the elected head of the
FIA, Mr Mosley is the leader of the richest sport in the world with a global membership of almost 125 million.
"This newspaper has always maintained that because of his status and position, he had an obligation to honour the standards that his vast membership had the right to expect of him. Taking part in depraved and brutal S&M orgies on a regular basis does not in our opinion constitute the fit and proper behaviour of someone is his hugely influential position."
Despite the ruling going against his 'paper, Myler added that he was 'delighted' that the ruling handed down by Mr Justice Eady has acknowledged that Mosley was partly responsible for what had happened and that no exemplary damages had been awarded.
However, he warned the freedom of the press had been hit by the ruling with the British media 'being strangled' by privacy laws coming from Europe.
"The
News of the World believes passionately that its readers deserve to be informed of when their trust that has been placed in their elected leaders and public officials has been violated," he added. "It is not for the rich and the famous, the powerful and the influential to dictate the news agenda just because they have the money and the means to gag the free press.
"Unfortunately our press is less free today after another judgment based on privacy laws emanating from Europe. How those very general laws should work in practice has never been debated in the UK parliament. English judges are left to apply those laws to individual cases, here using guidance from judges in Strasbourg who are unfriendly to freedom of expression.
"The result is that our media are being strangled by stealth and that is why the
News of The World will remain committed for its readers' rights to know."
