Cox married DJ Jon Carter in Ireland

The disc jockey sued The People after it published unauthorised nude photographs of her while she was on honeymoon in 2001.

The ruling at the High Court in London on Friday comes after a string of high-profile cases brought by celebrities against the media.

According to the Guardian, Cox has won �50,000 in damages, plus costs against the People and the agent who sold the photographs.

BBC media correspondent Nick Higham said Cox's victory was seen as significant because it was the clearest indication yet the courts were prepared to acknowledge the existence of a privacy right.

Apology

The 28-year-old was on holiday in the Seychelles with her newlywed husband, Jon Carter, in October 2001.

They were swimming and sunbathing on a private island.

After the People published the pictures of the couple, Cox complained to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), which persuaded the paper to print an apology.

The Bolton-born DJ's brekfast show has seven million listeners

But Cox was not satisfied and sued the People, complaining that her right to privacy had been breached under the Human Rights Act.

Her victory may prompt other celebrities who have won apologies from the media to launch civil cases.

It will also raise questions about the self-regulation of the press and the strength of the PCC, which is a voluntary watchdog.

Under the PCC editors' code of practice, people in a private place are protected from photographs.

But the People, which argued it did not know the beach was private, escaped censure from the PCC.

The PCC's director, Guy Black, told the Guardian: "We sorted out this matter speedily and with the full consent of Cox's agent. We never ducked or dodged."

Breach of confidence

Although there is no privacy law in the UK, legislation could be inevitable as a series of court cases has highlighted the problem.

The law of confidence was enough to win Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas their case against Hello! magazine.

A High Court judge said the couple's commercial confidence was breached when Hello! infringed on the couple's exclusive �1m deal with rival OK!.

A year ago, the Mirror was ordered to pay �3,500 damages to Naomi Campbell for publishing pictures of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.