Nicole Kidman wins in court

Nicole Kidman wins in court

An Australian judge has ruled against a celebrity photographer accused of hounding Nicole Kidman, ordering him to pay legal costs for the lawsuit.

The paparazzo, Jamie Fawcett, claimed an Australian newspaper had falsely accused him of hounding the Oscar-winning actress.

But New South Wales state Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Simpson said Wednesday that Fawcett’s actions clearly “frightened” Kidman, the Associated Press reports.

“That Ms. Kidman was frightened by Mr. Fawcett’s conduct cannot be doubted,” Simpson said. “The evidence amply demonstrates that Mr. Fawcett’s conduct was ‘intrusive’ and ‘threatening.’ ”

Kidman herself testified at the trial last November, saying that Fawcett had pursued her in a dangerous 2005 car chase that left her in tears and “really, really scared.” (The photographer was also accused of trying to bug the 40-year-old actress’s home in Australia.)

After the ruling, Fawcett told reporters he was strongly considering an appeal of his own. “It is a massive economic decision for me,” the photographer said, adding he was “already hurting financially.”