Lottery winner who scooped £41m wins banning order against bar owner's 'soft core porn' book about their steamy affair which began when he chatted her up by saying: 'Google me!'

  • Donna Desporte, 48, wrote memoir, 'Google me, no lies' about affair with winner
  • Court heard how she met bricklayer turned millionaire Gareth Bull in October '16
  • Today Mr Bull won his fight to stop the book described as 'porn' being published  
  • High Court judge has banned Miss Desporte from printing details about his life    

Steamy affair: Gareth Bull, pictured with former mistress Donna Desporte 

Steamy affair: Gareth Bull, pictured with former mistress Donna Desporte 

A lottery winner who scooped £41million has won a banning order against a bar owner's 'soft core porn' book about their steamy affair. 

Gareth Bull met Donna Desporte, 48, in a bar on the island of Tenerife in October last year before they embarked on a nine-month affair.   

The former bricklayer was still married when he met Miss Desporte, four years after winning £41million on the Euromillions with his wife Catherine. 

The judge was told Mr Bull spent thousands taking his mistress to star-studded events with his wife reportedly discovering their illicit relationship after seeing them in the background of a televised Anthony Joshua boxing match.

After their fling came to an end, Miss Desporte penned a memoir about their time together titled Google Me - No Lies: The Incredible True Heartbreaking Amazing Story Of A Survivor! 

The book's title was reference to the alleged conversation that played out between them when they first met. Miss Desporte claimed Mr Bull told her to 'Google' him after chatting to her in a bar.   

This afternoon in London, lawyers for Mr Bull, 45, who was married at the time of the affair, went to London's High Court to get an injunction to pull the book from circulation.

Happier times: Gareth Bull became an overnight millionaire when he won £41million on the Euromillions in 2012 (above, Mr Bull with his wife Catherine shortly after the win) 

Happier times: Gareth Bull became an overnight millionaire when he won £41million on the Euromillions in 2012 (above, Mr Bull with his wife Catherine shortly after the win) 

Prohibited: Donna Desporte has been banned by the High Court from publishing her book titled Google Me - No Lies: The Incredible True Heartbreaking Amazing Story Of A Survivor!

Prohibited: Donna Desporte has been banned by the High Court from publishing her book titled Google Me - No Lies: The Incredible True Heartbreaking Amazing Story Of A Survivor!

Judge Patrick Moloney said although much of the book was unexceptional, it also covered some intimate matters which fell into the category 'popularly known as kiss'n'tell'.

He granted an order which applies to publications in England and Wales and prohibits Ms Desporte from communicating certain information to anyone other than close friends, family and medical advisers.

He told Ms Desporte that, if she breached the order, the maximum penalty for contempt of court was two years in prison.  

The judge said £41m lottery winner, Gareth Bull, had 'a strong case' that parts of the book breached his privacy rights.

Commenting that Mr Bull is 'very rich' thanks to his lottery win, the judge added: 'That is effectively all that he is famous for.' 

Judge Patrick Moloney said although much of the book was unexceptional, it also covered some intimate matters which fell into the category 'popularly known as kiss'n'tell'.

He granted an order which applies to publications in England and Wales and prohibits Ms Desporte from communicating certain information to anyone other than close friends, family and medical advisers.

Banned: London's High Court ruled today Miss Desporte (pictured) is banned from publishing a book about her relationship with lottery winner Gareth Bull (together, right) 

Married: Judge Patrick Moloney QC said £41m lottery winner, Gareth Bull, had "a strong case" that parts of the book breached his privacy rights 

Married: Judge Patrick Moloney QC said £41m lottery winner, Gareth Bull, had 'a strong case' that parts of the book breached his privacy rights 

The injunction covers the physical details of Miss Desporte's sexual relationship with Mr Bull

He told Ms Desporte that, if she breached the order, the maximum penalty for contempt of court was two years in prison.

The injunction covers the physical details of her sexual relationship with Mr Bull, any information about his relationship with his wife, and any information about his children or his physical health.

Ms Desporte had told the judge: 'It is my right to speak.

'I feel very strongly that the applicant (Mr Bull) is trying to use everything he has got - his money, his power - to try and suppress me.'

The judge said she had a right to self-expression and freedom of speech but that was qualified by the need for respect for the rights of others including privacy.

Ms Desporte was refused permission to appeal although she can still apply directly to the Court of Appeal.  

Devastated: Donna Desporte said she was left distraught when her relationship with Mr Bull ended and was inspired to write a novel about their  nine months together

Devastated: Donna Desporte said she was left distraught when her relationship with Mr Bull ended and was inspired to write a novel about their nine months together

Miss Desporte had 'warned' Mr Bull that she was planning to give press interviews and publish a book in June.

She published the eBook a few weeks ago and a paperback more recently.   

Mr Bull's delay in seeking an injunction was almost fatal to his claim - 'but not quite', ruled the judge.

Ms Deporte was banned from discussing or publishing details of their sexual relationship in England and Wales.

The same applies to details about Mr Bull's marriage, his children and a health problem from which he suffers.

And the order means that the paperback and eBook must be removed from sale in this country.

Donna Desporte's book must be removed from sale after the judge issued an injunction. Above, Miss Desporte with Gareth Bull at a glamorous event during their time together

Donna Desporte's book must be removed from sale after the judge issued an injunction. Above, Miss Desporte with Gareth Bull at a glamorous event during their time together

The judge said much of the book was 'unexceptionable' and the fact of the affair was already in the public domain.

Miss Desporte pointed to her freedom of expression rights and said she was intent on 'exposing deceit' by Mr Bull.

But the judge said his privacy claim 'had the hallmarks of a strong case.' 

Earlier today Judge Patrick Moloney heard Miss Desporte say that she and Mr Bull got together in October last year, after he wooed her in her bar with the chat up line: 'I won the lottery, Google me.'

The book, which goes into detail about the sexual relationship between Ms Desporte and Mr Bull, was made available to the public as an eBook in November and in physical form earlier this month.

It follows on from a candid newspaper interview Ms Desporte gave in June, in which she gave details of how Mr Bull spent thousands taking her to Antony Joshua fights and star-studded celebrity bashes before their relationship foundered after nine months.

Mr Bull's barrister, Jacob Dean, told the court that Mr Bull received a text from Ms Desporte on June 27 this year, telling him: 'I'm writing a book and an article. The book is about me, not about you. There's a bit about you. I don't want to create difficulties for you. ' 

But when the book appeared, it gave detailed descriptions of their sexual relationship, as well as private information relating to his wife, children and health, the barrister said.

Mr Bull, who is now separated from his wife Catherine, took the matter to the High Court, to restrain further publication of the details of what went on with them between the sheets.

Glittery events: The court heard how Mr Bull blew thousands on taking Miss Desporte to star-studded bashes and mingled with celebrities (Above, Mr Bull with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona)

Glittery events: The court heard how Mr Bull blew thousands on taking Miss Desporte to star-studded bashes and mingled with celebrities (Above, Mr Bull with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona)

'We say it is highly sensitive...what you see in Ms Desporte's book is several pages of soft core pornography,' Mr Dean told the judge.

'My client is not a public figure, he is not somebody who has presented himself as never having been deceptive to former partners,' he added.

'I'm not sure it could be described as pornographic. It doesn't go into that kind of clinical detail,' Judge Moloney responded.

'Mr Bull had an extra-marital affair with Miss Desporte. The fact of them having a sexual relationship is not confidential,' he added.

'The other party in a relationship is entitled to tell her story so long as it doesn't trespass too far into his private affairs.

Ms Deporte was banned from discussing or publishing details of their sexual relationship in England and Wales and forbidden to disclose details about Mr Bull's marriage. Above, Gareth and Catherine Bull following the draw in January 2012 

Ms Deporte was banned from discussing or publishing details of their sexual relationship in England and Wales and forbidden to disclose details about Mr Bull's marriage. Above, Gareth and Catherine Bull following the draw in January 2012 

'Isn't what he had to tell the mistress about the wife part of the mistress's story too?' the judge asked. 

Miss Desporte told the judge: 'Mr Bull made a series of advances to me based on deception. He held my hand and told me 'I'm not sleeping with anybody else- one dog one bone'. That was false.

'I would not have got involved with him sexually but for those inducements. 

He was playing a game with me. He was telling people we weren't sleeping together, when we were having a very in-depth relationship.

'It's in my book. It's making the point that I have been used.

'It's in the public interest for the truth to come out,' she told the judge.

Judge Moloney made an order restraining publication of details of the controversial sections of the book relating to the particulars of their sexual activity, and information about Mr Bull's wife, children and his physical health, until further notice.  

Mr Bull, from Nottinghamshire, won his case at London's High Court today to stop further copies of her book being published. Above, the family home he built  in Mansfield, Nottingham before  the lottery win

Mr Bull, from Nottinghamshire, won his case at London's High Court today to stop further copies of her book being published. Above, the family home he built in Mansfield, Nottingham before the lottery win

  

 

Lotto winner tries to stop woman publishing steamy book

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