I have been following this case with some interest and was relieved that the judge found in the way that he did. Now of course in defense The New of the World came across as if it's involvement in exposing Mr Mosely's sexuality was up there with the Dreyfus Case and 'All the President's Men' as a landmark in uncovering entrenched and powerful corruption rather than the petty and sordid exercise that it was.
Tne News of the World's lawyer maintained that his enjoyment of sado-masochstic sex deserved exposing because it made him unfit for the powerful position that he holds.
Why?
The erotic games that people play providing there is consent and that the people involved are old enough are no-ones business but the participants. If the News of the World seriously believe that enjoying a good spank makes you unfit for Office then I would guess it has a campaign in hand to remove half of all mps and 90% of the judiciary! In fact, perphaps there should be a clause in job applications for one to tick, something along the lines of
'I confirm that I only enjoy sex in the missionary position with my partner and have never fantasised about anything that may be considered in any way deviant as defined by the News of the World'.
Would the Mosely expose have carried as much weight if his Father hadn't been who he was? Which begs the question that should we carry some genetic stigma for the crimes of our forefathers?
As Suzee Moon points out in her excellent blog Mosely is not the most sympathetic of characters but it is his betrayal of his wife that is the flaw in his personality and not his pleasure in being whipped by a dominatrix singing Lily Marlene!
menhir
You support some interesting points.
Yes- his wife was betrayed.
Sadly, it is easy assess how this generation of Mosley could have been so easily tempered into a black shirt. At least his proclivities give vent to emotions and behaviours that might otherwise be less acceptably channelled.
The above thought, does not necessarily apply to the many others who enjoy fantasies enacted.
The News of The World did need reigning back, they certainly were out of their league - I wonder if it was a calculated risk. If it was, they have exposed another social concern which will not be too closely publicly examined for fear of generating that which is loosely under wraps; our specific racisms.
Meantime, the previous Archbishop of Canterbury has made an interesting observation that the law has made flawed law on the hoof - I am not sure how, I haven't studied the legal intricacies of the privacy judgement that eludes so many ordinary folk like us. Mosely being the trained lawyer that he is, also knows the gravy train of righteousness he has embarked upon. We will hear more.