London based photog wins £82K damages over 'porn cover'

London, Oct 15 (ANI): A London based renowned photographer has won 82,000 pounds damages from a US porn firm that used her holiday snap to publish it on a cover of an X-rated film.

Lara Jade, now 21, was only 14 and a keen photographer when she took a self-portrait of herself in Blackpool wearing a top hat and a ball gown.

She was so proud of the picture she submitted it to an "arty" website.

However, she was stunned to know through a pal that her innocent picture has been stolen and used at a cover of porn film DVD named 'Body magic'.

Lara and her parents fired off a complaint to makers TVX Films but bosses there dismissed her claims and accused her of 'scheming'.

The court found that her reputation and career had been 'damaged by the unscrupulous firm' and Judge Thomas G Wilson described the company's conduct as 'morally wrong and tortuous'.

He said that, by using Lara's image, they had improperly implied that she was 'a participant in, or otherwise connected with, the pornographic entertainment industry'.

Lara from Tamworth, Staffs, has since become an internationally-acclaimed photographer, working in London and New York.

But the photographer said that she has been haunted by the image since it was stolen.

"I didn't want to be known as the girl from the porn film. It was always there in my head. I had to bring it up in meetings I had with clients and agencies. They'd hear porn film and were instantly put off. But after I explained, they were very understanding and told me I had to protect my rights and were very supportive," the Sun quoted her as saying.

"I'm just delighted I've been able to stand up for my rights. It's good to have it finally out of the way. It's not about the money I had to defend my rights in my work as well as my character and professional reputation," she concluded. (ANI)