Methinks Mr. Madadi wanted to get sacked, collect dole, AND a hefty payout from the english press all at the same time......which would have worked if he hadn't so badly underestimated Mr. Sumner. This ends with Sting walking off with Mr. Madadi's ill gotten gains, and Mick driving a cab in Brixton for the foreseeable future. Nice one, dude.

I think Sting is wrong. Better the silence and facts than courts and lawyers... He's playing the game the tabloids are looking for, digging in the dirt. Smile, instead, and let your own life speaks for you...

I happen to agree with you, however he's always responded aggressively to personal attacks, especially in the Police era. If he feels he's being condescended to or slagged, he will defend himself quite quickly. And if someone tries to insult his intelligence? Oh man, I'd hate to even be in the room! Don't get me wrong, I've been fond of him since 1979 and do think he has a right to some semblance of a private life. Whether this was worth his energy (if I take your point correctly) I don't know, given how intractable the British Press is.

Best defense is a good offense.

Exactly, and unless I miss my guess, Sting most likely personally tells everyone who works for him that he doesn't want them discussing his personal business with the press. Hopefully Madadi doesn't know where spike's cannabis stash is...I smell a raid coming on if he does.

Rember that after-show party (which Sting didn't even visit) in London a few years ago? Somebody "forgot" his stash of cocaine at that party.......it was found in the back room or something like that. the press had a field day about that.

As to Sting defending slander of his marital life - he is right and he has good arguments to slap on that ex-chaffeur as well. It is also likely that, if threatended with a court date, the ex-chauffeur could apologize formally to Sting. It has happened in some cases like this....

Elton John fought all the way in court when accused of having sexual relationships to underage boys, but of course, this was more serious, but at the end The Sun, which printed the story proven as false, said "Sorry" to Elton in print and they lost the court case, too!

Looks like this really upset Sting, that guy was totally out of order but isn't he taking it a bit too far? Jeez its getting like Ally McBeal!! lol! They're clearly in a stable relationship, no-one believes stories like this anyway! I can't help thinking Sting is just as bad as the chaffeur guy if he's hoping to get a nice bundle of cash out of this!! :/

I really think it's a bad move by Sting. He's always said that it's impossible to cope with bad press, better is to ignore it; and the decision to sue the driver has only draw more attention on the tale on the press. It's not a case like the Elton John's one, that was really terrible and deserved to be judged in a court, this is only a stupid gossip like other hundreds that Sting himself has sometimes invented (and Trudie too). Silence and calm were the right answer to me. We'll see!

The unfortunate problem is that tactically you almost have to sue in order to force an out of court settlement or verbal retraction of remarks. My extended family has a friend who's a well-known movie star (whose name I'll leave out) She's had to put up with all sorts of crap from the press and has had to fight back legally on occasion in order to ward off future problems. Once they get the idea they can get away with it, the gloves really come off.

I have no idea of the british laws, I am an italian girl, but this is not the first time Sting is in trouble with offensive declarations. Do you remember that book in wich the author said that Sting had an incredible number of children all over the world? I don't know if he sued him, but this is only an example... The things said by the driver didn't seem to me so terrible to deserve a cause, there had been worse things in the past that had not been settled in court.
Kisses from Florence

You just get tired of it all and if the
press and the paparazzi are made to answer for their actions once in a while.Maybe their empty wallets will
curb them.

I might add that suing the driver also sends a message to others already working for Sting, or who will work for Sting, that there is bite to the agreement they all sign when they come to work for him. Sting, or Sting Inc., almost has an obligation to press legal action in a case like this. This guy was only a driver - if they let this guy off with no penalty, what kind of message does that send to all the people touching their money and handling their investments (more important people)? What Sting probably wants is a retraction, an apology, and a penalty equal or more than what the guy was paid by the newspaper. In the end it will cost everyone a lot of money for what is essentially not a big story - a middle age guy (granted, international rock star)occasionally gets bored with his wife and smokes some spliff to relax. Would anyone be surprised that Trudie (actress) is high-maintenence? Come on!