Subscribe to The Times and The Sunday Times

Background: what about the missing e-mails? | Analysis: a ruling that raises the stakes | What happened at the orgies |
Max Mosley’s lawyers are preparing to bring libel actions that could reap him hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages after winning a privacy claim against the News of the World.
The newspaper accused the Formula One boss – whose father was the 1930s Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley – of taking part in a “sick Nazi orgy” with five prostitutes.
A High Court judge ruled yesterday that there was no evidence that the sadomasochistic party was an enactment of Nazi behaviour or adoption of any of its attitudes. Awarding Mr Mosley record damages for privacy of £60,000, Mr Justice Eady said: “I see no genuine basis at all for the suggestion that the participants mocked the victims of the Holocaust.
“Anyone indulging in sexual activity is entitled to a degree of privacy – especially if it is on private property and between consenting adults,” he added. It was not for the State or media to expose sexual conduct that did not involve any significant breach of criminal law. “It is not for journalists to undermine human rights, or for judges to refuse to enforce them, merely on grounds of taste or moral disapproval.”
Mr Mosley was in court for the ruling. He said he hoped that his case would deter invasive journalism. His lawyers are looking at bringing libel actions over the Nazi claim. They are likely to focus on the News of the World but could also include actions in France and Germany.
Media commentators welcomed the judge’s decision not to award punitive or exemplary damages.
Colin Myler, the Editor of the News of the World, said that the press was now less free as a result of the ruling. He insisted that the newspaper always believed that what it published was “legitimate and lawful” and “justified by the public interest in exposing Mr Mosley’s serious impropriety”.
The article was published in March. Secretly filmed footage of the orgy on the newspaper’s website attracted 3.5 million hits.The newspaper faces a total costs bill of about £850,000.
Read the training tips and advice that helped our London Triathletes
Enjoy screenings of all the classic films you love, plus take advantage of two-for-one tickets
Times Online's new TV show helps you make the right decisions for your pet
Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews
The latest travel news plus the best hotels and gadgets for business travellers
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles

Overseas contacts and local business information
2007
£47,995
2008
£42,945
06/2006
£40,850
Great car insurance deals online
£33,000
Macmillan Cancer Support
Central/South West
£50k
NHS
Nationwide
£
£30k OTE
Meltwater News
Nationwide
circa £70k
Central Office of Information
London
Great Dubai Investment Opportunities
from £89,950
The Finest Luxury Homes In London and the SE
From £995,000
Studios £33K, 1 Beds £60K, 2 beds £79K
Great Investment, River Views
New York Christmas Shopping
Christmas Cruises
From only £995pp
APTs East Coast now from only
£2425pp.
Great travel insurance deals online
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times. Globrix Property Search - find property for sale and rent in the UK. Visit our classified services and find jobs, used cars, property or holidays. Use our dating service, read our births, marriages and deaths announcements, or place your advertisement.
Copyright 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.
Well done Max, shame about the law. You have to risk approximately one million pounds sterling to get a £60,000 award because £1 mil is what it would have cost Max if he'd lost. Plus he still has to foot the bill for his top rated private eyes. Get them all Max.
Belinda Belmont, London, Uk
Grand Prix - the man has no discretion.
Marty, London,
Following the award of record damages, will Max Mosley continue to be strapped for cash?
Susie Flood, Carryduff, Northern Ireland
Curious judicial comment: 'It was not for the State or media to expose sexual conduct that did not involve any significant breach of criminal law.' Why? Is there no such thing as moral comment? I thing it's exactly the Press's 'right' to expose immorality if it believes the behaviour is immoral.
Paul Freeman, London, England
Great result ! High time the press was forced to acknowledge the difference between 'disseminating information in the public interest' and simple voyeurism...
Alastair Roy, London,
Regardless of the outcome of this trial, he is a disaster for Britian and British Motor Sport, as a driver he was a failure and as a figure head for the FIA he has brought it and all of motor sport into discredit.
For God sake go man!
I Johnson, Ramsgate, UK
Newspapers have a responsibility to report the truth. If reporters and editors had to take a lie detector test in court it would be very interesting.
graham, london,
Would Mr. Justice Eady have ruled for Lord Wigg against the Spectator?
On the basis of what you publish of his remarks it seems to me that to be consistent he would have had to.
I'm sure in my own mind that Max Mosely was right to be aggrieved but sorry he chose to sue on privacy grounds.
William Boyd, Penygroes, UK
David, New York
Prostitution has never been illegal in the UK. Solicitation in a public place by a prostitute, or from a motor vehicle by a client is an offence, but neither offences seem to have been commited in this case.
Jon, Birmingham, UK
What a blow for the free press.
This has effectivly created a new law which limits the press to report on people with power or money.
Steve, Scotland. I don't think there is a question of wether it happened or not just if it was invasion of privacy.
Oliver Murphy, Beijing, China
I wonder how Mr Myler would react if a rival newspaper secretly filmed his bedroom action.
I'd really like to hear him squeal!
Rokola, Chiang Mai , Thailand
Good to see him give the NoW a good spanking.
Mike, Sydney,
Finally a small victory for liberty in our increasingly authoritarian country.
David Space, London, UK
Good for Mr. Mosley. I'm sick of these tacky "revelations" from certain newspapers.
Steve, Argyll, Scotland
Isn't being or soliciting a prostitute still illegal in the UK?
david, New York, United States
Its time laws were brought in to ensure newspapers were only allowed to print the truth.
sylvia macpherson, wickford, england
wonderful !! A huge blow to the fascist press.
Next step: total rehabilitation and finishing his Formula 1 term as intended.
robert, vancouver, bc