By Rex Crum

The Mercury News

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Some of Elon Musk’s choicest words are coming back to haunt him.

On Monday, Vern Unsworth, the British cave diver whom Musk called “pedo guy” and a “child rapist” sued the Tesla chief executive for libel and slander in a U.S. district court in California, according to a report from CNBC.

Unsworth, a cave diver who aided in the rescue of a Thai boys soccer team and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand in June, became the subject of Musk’s ire after Unsworth chided Musk’s offer of a mini-submarine to use in the team’s rescue efforts.

Not long after Unsworth questioned Musk’s attempt to help in the team’s rescue, Musk went on Twitter and called Unsworth “pedo guy,” using a British slang term for pedophile. Musk eventually apologized to Unsworth, on Twitter, but then raised the matter again earlier this month when he referred to Unsworth as a “child rapist” in a tweet.

Musk has not offered up any concrete evidence to back up his statements about Unsworth.

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Unsworth’s suit.