Mosley issues statement following High Court victory

24/07/2008

Steeles Law, the legal company representing FIA President Max Mosley in his case against the News of the World, has issued the following press release following today's ruling.

The Court has today ruled categorically in Mr Mosley’s favour and he is delighted that his determination to bring this case has been fully justified. The News of the World had no basis for invading Mr Mosley’s privacy and their Nazi allegation has been found to be entirely false. Mr Mosley comments:

"This judgment has nailed the Nazi lie upon which the News of the World sought to justify their disgraceful intrusion into my private life. By law we are all entitled to have our privacy respected. The News of the World invaded my privacy, dreamt-up the most offensive headline possible, and decided that I should not be contacted before publication to prevent me asking the Court for the injunction I would have been entitled to. They and their lawyers have then conducted this case so as to cause
maximum embarrassment in the hope that I would be discouraged from continuing.

I needed a strong judgment to make it absolutely clear that what the News of the World did was wrong. Obtaining that in the full glare of the media has been extremely difficult but I am delighted that we have achieved what we set out to do.

I hope my case will help deter newspapers in the UK from pursuing this type of invasive and salacious journalism. I have learnt first hand how devastating an invasion of privacy can be and how readily papers like the News of the World will destroy lives in the knowledge that few of their victims will dare sue them. I want to encourage a change in that practice.

As I promised at the outset, the damages will go to the FIA Foundation to further their work for road safety and the environment.

Finally, I would like to thank all those who have supported me during this difficult period."