‘ASHAMED AND DIRTY’

Cave Diver Says Elon Musk’s ‘Pedo Guy’ Tweet Left Him Feeling ‘Humiliated’

Musk made his remarks in July 2018 after Vernon Unsworth mocked the billionaire’s miniature submarine for Thai kids rescue mission.

The British cave explorer who was described as a “pedo guy” by Elon Musk last year has said the billionaire’s personal attacks left him feeling “humiliated, ashamed, dirty.” Vernon Unsworth testified in front of a federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday in the second day of the defamation case brought by the diver against the Tesla entrepreneur. Musk made his remarks on Twitter in July 2018 after Unsworth mocked the miniature submarine that Musk had built and delivered to the site of a cave-rescue operation that saved 12 young Thai footballers and their coach. Unsworth said the vehicle was useless and that Musk could “stick his submarine where it hurts.” Musk insists he didn’t literally call Unsworth a pedophile, but Unsworth told the court that he disagrees. “I took it to mean I was being branded a pedophile,” said Unsworth, according to The Guardian. “I feel humiliated, ashamed, dirty… I was effectively given a life sentence without parole. At times I feel very vulnerable. It hurts to talk about it.”