Diaz 'violated' By $3m Photo Bid

Eleven-year-old photographs of Cameron Diaz topless and clad in fishnets and leather returned to haunt the actor in the latest court battle between celebrities and paparazzi.

Diaz testified in a Los Angeles court on Thursday that she was furious when she became suspicious that a photographer was trying to extort money from her.

The 32-year-old told the court: "I have a temper with certain things when people come after me. I've never felt so violated. It leaves a hole in my chest. I was sick to my stomach."

In 1992, two years before she became famous in The Mask, the then 19-year-old posed for photos taken by John Rutter. She told the court that 11 years later, when she was the successful star of the about to be released film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, he approached her and offered to sell her the set of photos for $3m, saying he had been offered larger sums by various publications.

Diaz was testifying in the Californian state's prosecution of the photographer on charges of forgery, grand theft and perjury.

The trial is the latest and most high profile attempt by the Los Angeles law enforcement authorities to crack down on paparazzi.

In May, a 24-year-old photographer was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly rammed Lindsay Lohan's car. The incident was photographed by other paparazzi.

Earlier this month, a woman was jailed for harassing Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband, Michael Douglas.

A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said: "The people who work in the entertainment industry live in our community. They can be victims, like everyone else."

In opening statements, Mr Rutter's attorney, Mark Werksman, presented a different view. "This is the case of a rich and powerful movie star who is seeking to crush and destroy John Rutter."

The case is spiced up by the raunchy photographs of the topless Diaz. At one point she whips a chained male model dressed in a loincloth.