LONDON -- Max Mosley is aiming for a one-two punch against a popular British tabloid. The motor racing chief's lawyers announced Monday that Mosley will now sue the News of the World for libel after winning a privacy case last week against it.
Mosley has already won a privacy suit against the British paper for claiming he engaged in a Nazi-themed orgy -- a ruling that will cost the News of the World nearly $2 million in legal costs and damages. Libel damages could add to the sting.
"Following his successful privacy claim, and the attempts by the editor and staff of the News of the World to devalue the outcome of that claim, Mr. Mosley will now be pursuing a claim for damages and aggravated damages in relation to defamatory allegations in the 6th April edition of the News of the World," the Steeles law firm said in a statement.
Britain's biggest-selling newspaper grabbed world attention when it published a front-page story alleging that Mosley engaged in an hours-long sex session with five prostitutes that involved beating, domination and Nazi-role play.
Mosley, the president of the governing body that oversees Formula One racing, acknowledged taking part in the orgy but denied it had any kind of Nazi theme.
On Thursday a judge concurred, saying there was no evidence that Mosley's sexual encounter "was intended to be an enactment of Nazi behavior or adoption of any of its attitudes."
Media specialist Caroline Kean said Mosley's new suit against the paper would build on that judgment to argue he had been defamed.
"Clearly it would be regarded defamatory in the minds of most people to say that somebody behaved in a way that was Nazi," she said.
Libel cases in Britain have the same standard of proof as privacy cases; the sole difference is that they are heard by a jury while privacy cases are heard by a judge. Libel cases are common here because British law is considered more claimant-friendly than U.S. libel law.
While the News of the World issued a statement acknowledging that the orgy "was not intended to be, and was not Nazi in character," it seemed unbowed by the courtroom defeat.
The paper published two pages of editorials: One lamented what it said was a blow against press freedom and another, written by former archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, called the judgment "deplorable."
"In the past, a public figure has known that scandalous and immoral behavior carries serious consequences for his or her public profile, reputation and job," the archbishop wrote. "Today it is possible to both have your cake and eat it too."
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Mosley rejected any suggestion that what he did merited any kind of disapproval.
"Modern adults don't care what other people do so long as it's legal, private and consensual between adults," he was quoted as saying by the paper.
He also said in the interview he was taking legal action against media organizations in Germany, France and Italy. The paper did not identify the organizations, although Mosley is currently suing the publisher of Germany's largest newspaper, Bild.
News of The World spokeswoman Hayley Barlow did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Monday.
