Mosley: I lost my dignity
Max Mosley will appear before MPs this morning
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Tuesday, 10, Mar 2009 11:10
Formula one boss Max Mosley has described his ordeal at the hands of the press last year as "the most terrible thing imaginable" while giving evidence to MPs.
Mr Mosley hit the headlines last year when pictures of him allegedly participating in a sadomasochistic orgy with prostitutes were published by media outlets. He subsequently received £60,000 in damages, an unprecedented amount for privacy ruling damages.
Although the FIA president won a vote of support at an extraordinary meeting in Paris he was unable to operate in a complete capacity since the allegations about his private life surfaced. He will stand down at the scheduled end of his tenure in October 2009.
Appearing before the Commons' culture, media and sport committee, which is conducting an inquiry into press standards, privacy and libel inquiry, Mr Mosley reaffirmed his comments in July 2008 that "some newspapers literally ruin people's lives".
He told the committee that discovering the News of the World story was breaking was like returning to one's house to discover all one's personal items had been stolen.
"It is the most terrible thing imaginable," he said.
"It's like taking all your books, all your money. In fact it's worse because if someone takes away your dignity you can never replace it. I'm not ashamed of it, just like I'm not ashamed of my bodily functions. But I don't want it splashed all over the front page of a newspaper," he continued.
"Putting myself in the position of my sons: can you imagine seeing pictures like that of your father? It's just appalling."
The committee is examining "the interaction between the operation and effect of UK libel laws and press reporting" and "whether, in the light of recent court rulings, the balance between press freedom and personal privacy is the right one".