Vernon Unsworth Considering Legal Action After Elon Musk’s ‘Pedo’ Barb
Vernon Unsworth, the British cave diver who was instrumental in helping rescue the Thai boys’ soccer team that was trapped in a cave, is reportedly considering legal action against Elon Musk, who called him a “pedo.”
As The Guardian reports, Unsworth, 63, was one of the first divers to arrive at the flooded cave complex where the Wild Boars soccer team was trapped. By all measures, Unsworth’s extensive knowledge of the cave system, his skills in diving, and his ability to rally support were all crucial in getting the boys out of the cave.
So what beef does Elon Musk have with him?
Musk, as you may know, had been working on a submarine to get the boys out of the cave. However, the boys were rescued before the device was complete, making his sub irrelevant. Unsworth, however, took things a step further, saying in an interview that the sub was too long and too rigid to be useful in getting through and around the tight spaces. He also called the submarine “a PR stunt” and told Musk to “stick the submarine where it hurts.”
Musk didn’t like that at all.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, Musk called Unsworth a “pedo.” Unsworth has never been convicted of, or even accused of, any sex crimes against children, so he (Unsworth) is a little shocked at why Musk leveled such an accusation.
BREAKING: Vernon Unsworth has responded to @elonmusk slurs about him. Says he can't put into words how he feels about the guy. He hasn't ruled out taking legal action. @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/4oJ8HSDrSk
— Mylee Hogan (@MyleeHogan) July 16, 2018
Users pointed out that calling a man a “pedo” in front of 22 million Twitter followers might not exactly be prudent. Musk, however, doubled down.
“Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true.”
Musk later deleted the tweets, but nothing you ever post on the internet is ever gone, and screenshots abound. Unsworth himself claims to have screenshots of the offensive tweets. And, he says, suing Musk for libel isn’t off the table.
And he may have a case. Legal analyst Mark Stephens says that, by U.K. law anyway, Unsworth could probably win a judgment against Musk for around £125,000 (about $165,000).
“It’s a cast iron case of libel and [Unsworth] will undoubtedly be able to sue. [If he sued] he would get damages and award of costs. They would be substantial.”
However, getting the money from Musk would be easier said than done. Thanks to some differences between U.K. and American law, the judgment wouldn’t be enforceable in the U.S., and the courts would have to pinpoint Musk assets outside of the U.S. to award to Unsworth.
