Apology for fake photos not good enough, says Tiger

AN apology from The Dubliner magazine for publishing fake nude pictures of Tiger Woods’s wife did not go far enough, according to the couple’s lawyer.

The former Swedish model, Elin Woods has issued libel proceedings against the magazine, after turning down what her lawyer said was “not an unqualified apology”.

Douglas Baldridge from the Venable law firm in Washington, who represents the couple, said they have not yet decided whether or not they will travel to Ireland to be present in court.

They have hired leading Dublin legal firm Arthur Cox Solicitors and issued plenary summons in the High Court last week.

In September the magazine published photos of a woman which it wrongly claimed was the superstar golfer’s wife beside an article entitled, “Ryder filth for Dublin”.

A day after the article sparked a firestorm of protest, the magazine, which trades as Dubliner Media Limited, issued an apology, saying the story was a satire of “inaccurate tabloid publishing” and “it didn’t expect anyone to take it seriously,” it said.

Last month, in an effort to avert a lawsuit, The Dubliner offered to donate the proceeds of its September issue to a charity of the couple’s choice if they accepted the apology.

But it’s understood that the golfer and his spouse decided to turn down this offer because of the claim that the piece was satirical.

The couple is said to be “still very upset” by the publication, which prompted a furious response from Mr Woods at a press conference in September.

Speaking at the K Club in Straffen, Co Kildare, he said: “Yes, my wife has been a model and she did do some bikini photos, but to link her to porn websites is unacceptable.”

The editor of The Dubliner, Trevor White, is away in France and other members of the editorial team refused to comment on the action.