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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is facing the action over posts to Twitter. Ringo H.W. Chiu/PA Images

Elon Musk to face defamation trial today over tweets about diver who helped in Thai cave rescue

Musk claims the phrase “pedo guy” was a common insult where he grew up that is “synonymous with ‘creepy old man’”.

ELON MUSK IS going on trial on today for his troublesome tweets in a defamation case pitting the billionaire against a British diver he allegedly branded a paedophile.

The Tesla CEO will be called to testify early in the case in Los Angeles federal court to explain what he meant when he called Vernon Unsworth – who helped rescue youth soccer players trapped underwater in a Thailand cave – “pedo guy” in a Twitter spat more than year ago.

Musk later apologised for lashing out at Unsworth on Twitter after the diver belittled Musk’s efforts to build a tiny submarine to save the trapped boys as a “PR stunt”.

The tweet, widely interpreted as a reference to a paedophile, was removed by Musk, who disputed that’s what he meant.

“‘Pedo guy’ was a common insult used in South Africa when I was growing up,” Musk said in a court declaration. “It is synonymous with ‘creepy old man’ and is used to insult a person’s appearance and demeanour.”

Unsworth’s lawyers have laughed off that explanation and said his claim was undercut by a subsequent tweet when he said, “Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true”, in response to a question about whether he had accused Unsworth of being a paedophile.

The lawyers also said he hired private investigators to dig up evidence Unsworth was a child molester, which they never found, according to Unsworth’s lawyers.

Hot water

The lawsuit is not the first time Musk’s tweets have landed him in hot water.

Musk and Tesla reached a $40 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission last year on allegations he misled investors with a tweet declaring he had secured financing to buy out the electric car maker. He agreed in the settlement to have future tweets about the company screened.

He was forced back into court on accusations he violated that agreement by tweeting a misleading figure about how many cars Tesla would manufacture this year.

The SEC sought to hold him in contempt of court, which led to a new agreement imposing tighter controls on Musk’s tweets about the company.

The cave drama played out for more than two weeks in the summer of 2018 when the 12 boys — ages 11-16 — and their soccer coach were trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand.

Musk and engineers from his SpaceX rocket company custom built a mini-submarine to help with the rescue. The device was heavily publicised but never used.

Unsworth, a diver and caving expert whose advice was considered crucial in the rescue operation, said the sub would never have fit in the cave’s tight spaces. He told CNN that Musk could “stick his submarine where it hurts”.

Musk responded two days later with his series of tweets.

Musk claims he wasn’t making a factual statement and no one reading his tweet would take it seriously and interpret it as defamatory.

Despite removing the tweets, he later suggested in emails to the news website BuzzFeed that Unsworth was a “child rapist” and had moved to northern Thailand to take “a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time”. He provided no evidence.

Unsworth is seeking unspecified damages for pain, suffering and emotional distress.

The defence has resisted efforts to turn over financial records to show Musk’s wealth but has stipulated his net worth exceeds $20 billion (€18 billion).

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    Mute Andy Moore
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    Nov 28th 2023, 12:37 PM

    RIP Ben , you were good to me Da some 35 years ago & required employment to bring him upto full pension !!

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    Mute Tommy Haze
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    Nov 28th 2023, 12:24 PM

    RIP
    He lived a full life and left his mark on Irish society.

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    Mute McMurphy
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    Nov 28th 2023, 12:53 PM

    Rest in peace big fella. Dunnes stores was my first proper job while Ben was in charge, the ethos was that they were tough but fair and I always remember it with fondness.

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Nov 28th 2023, 1:47 PM

    Dunnes gave a good boost to my family’s food manufacturing business that enabled it to double output and employment. RIP Ben

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Nov 28th 2023, 12:50 PM

    RIP

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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Nov 28th 2023, 2:52 PM

    Ben played the brown envelope Fianna fail and Fine gael game and the good honest hardworking irish people picked up the tab

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    Mute Machine Learning IRE
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    Nov 28th 2023, 3:27 PM

    @Kevin O Brien: If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything.

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    Mute John McDonagh
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    Nov 28th 2023, 6:08 PM

    @Kevin O Brien: Remember that Mary Loo’s outfit benefited by a million Euros but they had to kidnap him first

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Nov 28th 2023, 1:23 PM

    I see where Michael Lowery was in attendance.Of course they were the best of friends.

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Nov 28th 2023, 1:52 PM

    @Willie Marty: and every right to be in attendance

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Nov 28th 2023, 2:04 PM

    @Paul Gorry: of course he had Wasent that the least he could do.

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    Mute Patrick MC Dermott
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    Nov 28th 2023, 10:07 PM

    @Willie Marty: What’s going to happen to Michael’s house now that he has no one to do running repairs and maintenance.

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    Mute Éanna o Sca
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    Nov 29th 2023, 3:02 PM

    @Paul Gorry: will you go get a job!! You’re non stop commenting on every news story

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    Mute James Carolan
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    Nov 28th 2023, 12:18 PM

    No need to listen anymore Jackie Skelly….RIP Ben

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    Mute Declan Gibney
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    Nov 28th 2023, 6:11 PM

    A giant of industry and an innovator in all he did….no saint but a legend of Irish industry. Condolences to the family and rest in peace big fella.

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Nov 28th 2023, 10:06 PM

    He was a good man who created jobs and opportunities for many people in Ireland and elsewhere. Condolences to his family RIP Ben

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    Mute Patrick Henderson
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    Nov 29th 2023, 8:46 AM

    Ben Dunne was a gentleman’s gentleman who lived a life full of adventure. May he rest in peace

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