A former Royal Air Force expert won a defamation lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday. Dr. Joel Howard, a defense and securities expert, sued the newspaper over  a 2011 article knighting him the “Ayatollah of the RAF.”

Former Pilot Sued Mail On Sunday For Defamation

A native New Zealander, Hayward converted to Islam during his tenure as head of the Royal Air Force pilot training college. According to the article, after his conversion, Hayward allegedly instructed students to go “softly-softly” when writing about Islamic terrorists.

Offended, Hayward sued the Mail on Sunday. He also left his position at the RAF and took a job at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates, where, he says, the atmosphere is much more friendly to Muslim converts.

Judge Ruled In Favor Of Pilot In Mail Defamation Lawsuit

It took two years, but the court reached a decision this week. The ruling body sided with Hayward, ordering the Mail to pay damages. According to Hayward, the award amount wouldn’t land him on a “rich list” but he hopes it will make the Mail “think twice.”

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