UPDATE: Elton John Loses London Times Libel Suit

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mr. Justice (Michael) Tugendhat of London's High Court has ruled that a series of London Times articles last June about tax avoidance strategies did not defame singer Sir Elton John, The Guardian reports.

John sued over an article that ran June 21, 2012 entitled Secrets of the Tax Avoiders, that he alleged wrongly linked him to Ingenious Media CEO Patrick McKenna, suggesting McKenna was John's accountant and advised him about circumventing taxes (see "TUOL" post 8/8/12). The rock legend was dissatisfied with a four-line correction that the Times later ran ceding that McKenna was not John's accountant or a second correction that appeared in July saying that Ingenious Media was not implicated in tax avoidance conduct.

Mr. Justice Tugendhat ruled that the language of the Times article was not susceptible to a defamatory meaning. Or as Sir Elton himself once warbled: "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing."

'The Bitch is Back': Sir Elton John Sues Times of London for Libel

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)Where once he was a Victim of Love (1979), Sir Elton John has filed a writ in London's High Court alleging Rupert Murdoch's Times of London has made him a victim of defamation.

According to accounts by the PressGazette journalism weekly (PressGazette.uk.com) and TheWrap (TheWrap.com), John is suing based on a series of Times articles, including a June 21, 2012, piece entitled "Secrets of the tax avoiders." The articles, according to the complaint, link the Rock legend to former Ingenious Media CEO Patrick McKenna, suggesting McKenna was John's accountant and advised him on how to skirt taxes.

The complaint alleges the Times published a four-line correction stating only that McKenna was not John's accountant, but that the retraction did not suitably overcome the prominent placement in the daily of the original stories. Of course, as John is well aware, for newspapers, Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word (1976). John, concerned that the adverse publicity will discourage donors to the Elton John Aids Foundation and other charitable entities with which he is involved, is seeking damages, aggravated damages and injunctive relief in the libel plaintiff-friendly English court. The Times may be wondering what to do When the Money's Gone (1995).

The music groupies at "TUOL" can't help but wonder if during his concert tour in the States next month Sir Elton might alter his song list to perform Saturday Night's Alright for Suing and Don't Let the Times Go Down on Me.