Rushdie wins case against former driver

Booker Prize-winning author Salman Rushdie has won an apology in his High Court battle over claims of falsity in a book written about his time living under police protection.

Ron Evans, a former police officer and convicted fraudster, who worked as Rushdie's driver during his spell under a fatwa, published a book entitled On Her Majesty's Service, which was due for publication on August 4th.

The court found that 11 counts of falsehood were contained in the book, whose subtitle is My Incredible Life in the World's Most Dangerous Close Protection Squad.

Among them were the allegations that Rushdie was unhygienic, that he became suicidal and was being examined by a police psychiatrist and that he sought to profit from the fatwa by inviting Muslims to kill him for insulting the Prophet Mohamed.

Mr Justice Teare made a declaration of falsity against Mr Evans, his ghostwriter Douglas Thompson, and John Blake Publishing, the publisher behind the book.

The Guardian quotes Rushdie as saying: "Over the years I have been a part of the hurly-burly of the British press and there has been plenty that has been said about me that has been rude and unsupportive.

"I have never sought to pursue expressions of opinion. However, facts are facts and lies are lies. And it seems to me that the law exists to allow people to clarify that."