Industrial designer wins right to make Star Wars replicas

It's taken seven years, but a legal battle between George Lucas and an English industrial designer has finally reached a settlement which marks a victory for the small businessman.

Begun in 2006, Lucasfilm's claim of 10.5 million pounds against Andrew Ainsworth a designer from Twickenham who owns the moulds used for the first stormtrooper's costumes as well as droids and laser blasters, has resulted in a mere £90,000 settlement, a huge multi-million dollar legal bill.

What's more Mr Ainsworth has won a ruling authorising him to sell replicas anywhere in the world except America.

Ainsworth was facing the multi-million dollar suit  when Lucasfilm claimed that the sale of 19 stormtrooper helmets in the USA entitled them to damages of $4.4 million  plus compound interest at 8 percent for nine years, but after Disney bought the company the studio decided to finally settle for the £90,000.

Talking to the Times, Ainsworth said: "I think Disney thought, this is a stupid thing to do, It's different with a billionaire, when money doesn't matter and he just wants to win. I think Lucas is a bad loser."

When the case opened in 2006 Mr Ainsworth appealed for legal aid through the newspaper and gained a no-win, no-fee deal from lawyer, Seamus Andrews.

While the designer still ran up legal costs of £700,000 he looks set to receive a multi million pound bonus in the form of orders for replicas from the original Star Wars moulds, which he owns. He hopes to sell the business back to the film industry. He also designed costumes for Ridley Scott's 'Alien.'

He told The Times: " I was never passionate about Star Wars. I've only seen a couple of the films. I'm more interested in moving forward and designing new products."