Diaz snapper faces six years in jail

THE photographer who took topless photos of a 19-year-old aspiring model named Cameron Diaz, then attempted to sell them back to her after she became a movie star, is facing up to six years in prison.

John Rutter has been convicted in a Los Angeles court of forgery, attempted grand theft and perjury for the €2.9 million scheme involving 11-year-old photos. He is due to be sentenced on September 15.

In the meantime, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor revoked Rutter’s bail and ordered him to jail, ruling the 42-year-old photographer is a flight risk.

“Although I wish that this unfortunate situation hadn’t occurred in the first place, I am very gratified that justice has been served,” Diaz said.

Rutter testified during his two-week trial that he did indeed give Diaz two days to pay him for the photos before he shopped them to prospective buyers for a campaign timed to coincide with the 2003 release of her film Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. But he said he was only offering her first right of refusal, not trying to blackmail her.