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| Phone hacking: Mirror publisher pays out £125,000 to settle six claims | Phone hacking: Mirror publisher pays out £125,000 to settle six claims |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The publisher of the Daily Mirror has agreed to pay £125,000 to settle six phone-hacking claims from individuals including Sven-Goran Eriksson and faces nearly 50 compensation cases, the high court has heard. | The publisher of the Daily Mirror has agreed to pay £125,000 to settle six phone-hacking claims from individuals including Sven-Goran Eriksson and faces nearly 50 compensation cases, the high court has heard. |
| Details of the settlements in litigation brought against Trinity Mirror’s Mirror Group Newspapers subsidiary, which publishes the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, were outlined in a document submitted by the publisher at a high court hearing before Mr Justice Mann on Friday. | Details of the settlements in litigation brought against Trinity Mirror’s Mirror Group Newspapers subsidiary, which publishes the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, were outlined in a document submitted by the publisher at a high court hearing before Mr Justice Mann on Friday. |
| David Sherborne, counsel for the claimants, told the court the publisher had up to now denied phone hacking on its papers and had “performed a rather remarkable volte-face” with a “striking” change to its position, having previously said that the “allegations were wholly unsubstantiated”. | |
| Former England manager Eriksson had sought £200,000 but made an out of court settlement for £30,000, sparing the company any further embarrassing disclosures about the nature or extent of the hacking. | |
| Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston also settled for £30,000 after initially applying for £100,000 in damages, while David and Victoria Beckham’s former nanny Abbie Gibson has settled her case for £15,000. | |
| The high court also heard that ex-footballer Garry Flitcroft’s claim has been settled for £20,000. | The high court also heard that ex-footballer Garry Flitcroft’s claim has been settled for £20,000. |
| Celebrity agent Phil Dale and Christie Roche, wife of EastEnders actor Shane Richie, have both also settled for £15,000. | |
| MGN is facing up to 48 civil claims for compensation for phone hacking, the high court was also told. The growing magnitude of the hacking claims sent shares in Trinity Mirror 5% down to 165.50p. | |
| Mann was told by counsel for the victims that 28 claims have already been registered with the court with another “10 to 20” actions about to be issued. | Mann was told by counsel for the victims that 28 claims have already been registered with the court with another “10 to 20” actions about to be issued. |
| MGN has admitted liability in four cases where the amount of compensation has yet to be resolved. | MGN has admitted liability in four cases where the amount of compensation has yet to be resolved. |
| They were brought by EastEnders star Shane Roche, better known by his stage name Shane Richie; fellow soap actors Shobna Gulati and Lucy Taggart (formerly Lucy Benjamin); and BBC executive Alan Yentob. | They were brought by EastEnders star Shane Roche, better known by his stage name Shane Richie; fellow soap actors Shobna Gulati and Lucy Taggart (formerly Lucy Benjamin); and BBC executive Alan Yentob. |
| Jude Law’s former wife Sadie Frost and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne, along with EastEnders star Jessie Wallace are among five new claims against MGN mentioned in court. | Jude Law’s former wife Sadie Frost and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne, along with EastEnders star Jessie Wallace are among five new claims against MGN mentioned in court. |
| Also claiming for compensation are an flight attendant Lauren Alcorn, who dated footballer Rio Ferdinand, and Robert Ashworth, targeted because of his links to Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw. | Also claiming for compensation are an flight attendant Lauren Alcorn, who dated footballer Rio Ferdinand, and Robert Ashworth, targeted because of his links to Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw. |
| John Major’s former daughter-in-law Emma Noble, actor Darren Day and Cold Feet star John Thompson are also among those lining up for damages from MGN. | John Major’s former daughter-in-law Emma Noble, actor Darren Day and Cold Feet star John Thompson are also among those lining up for damages from MGN. |
| Trinity Mirror’s share price was down 5% to 165.50p at 3.45pm on Friday. The company said in a statement: “We have set aside a figure in the high single-digit millions to cover costs in relation to civil claims. This covers all the cases, including claims that have been made, that we are aware of.” | Trinity Mirror’s share price was down 5% to 165.50p at 3.45pm on Friday. The company said in a statement: “We have set aside a figure in the high single-digit millions to cover costs in relation to civil claims. This covers all the cases, including claims that have been made, that we are aware of.” |
| Another case management hearing is due on 7 October, with a trial expected next February. | Another case management hearing is due on 7 October, with a trial expected next February. |
| Sherborne said Roche suffered “multiple interceptions” over three years which resulted in 11 articles in all three MGN titles – the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the People. | |
| Taggart also suffered “multiple interceptions” between 2000 and 2005 resulting in 11 articles over the three titles, Sherborne told the court. | Taggart also suffered “multiple interceptions” between 2000 and 2005 resulting in 11 articles over the three titles, Sherborne told the court. |
| “MGN has performed a rather remarkable volte-face,” he said, claiming that the publisher had previously said that the “allegations were wholly unsubstantiated”. | |
| This was disputed by MGN counsel Matthew Nicklin QC, who said the company’s position had been: “We never denied it.” | This was disputed by MGN counsel Matthew Nicklin QC, who said the company’s position had been: “We never denied it.” |
| Nicklin added that MGN had said in previous statements that it “does not tolerate, ‘present tense’, unlawful activities in its company”. | Nicklin added that MGN had said in previous statements that it “does not tolerate, ‘present tense’, unlawful activities in its company”. |
| Mann described Trinity Mirror’s “present tense” statements cited by Sherborne as “clearly carefully couched” and to be expected in this “sensitive environment”. He said they did not amount to the “frequent denials” claimed by Sherborne. | Mann described Trinity Mirror’s “present tense” statements cited by Sherborne as “clearly carefully couched” and to be expected in this “sensitive environment”. He said they did not amount to the “frequent denials” claimed by Sherborne. |
| Sherborne insisted that MGN had made a “striking” change to its position, pointing out that it had tried to strike out four of the claims, three of which it had now settled. | Sherborne insisted that MGN had made a “striking” change to its position, pointing out that it had tried to strike out four of the claims, three of which it had now settled. |
| Counsel for MGN, Matthew Nicklin QC, said the company was not admitting habitual hacking at the three newspapers. | Counsel for MGN, Matthew Nicklin QC, said the company was not admitting habitual hacking at the three newspapers. |
| “We are not going to admit it was habitually practised by all journalists,” he said. | “We are not going to admit it was habitually practised by all journalists,” he said. |
| The company has admitted liability in the four cases, including that of Richie, which are being prepared for a February trial but the judge was not satisfied with the detail provided about phone hacking. | The company has admitted liability in the four cases, including that of Richie, which are being prepared for a February trial but the judge was not satisfied with the detail provided about phone hacking. |
| Mann noted that in the case of Yentob “phone hacking had taken place on a significant scale without any stories being stories being published”. | Mann noted that in the case of Yentob “phone hacking had taken place on a significant scale without any stories being stories being published”. |
| He ordered the company to amend its pleadings in relation to the four lead cases and “make it clear what acts of phone hacking are admitted and what acts of phone hacking are not admitted.” | He ordered the company to amend its pleadings in relation to the four lead cases and “make it clear what acts of phone hacking are admitted and what acts of phone hacking are not admitted.” |
| Mann added: “It’s vital that the defendants make quite clear what they are and what they are not admitting.” | Mann added: “It’s vital that the defendants make quite clear what they are and what they are not admitting.” |
| Responding to developments in the civil claims, Evan Harris, associate director of campaign group Hacked Off, said: “Victims of phone hacking will welcome the judge’s insistence that Trinity Mirror itemise exactly what allegations of phone hacking they are now admitting.” | Responding to developments in the civil claims, Evan Harris, associate director of campaign group Hacked Off, said: “Victims of phone hacking will welcome the judge’s insistence that Trinity Mirror itemise exactly what allegations of phone hacking they are now admitting.” |
| “At the hearing before Mr Justice Mann the defendants Trinity Mirror tried to close down the case by making general admissions of liability for hacking the phones of four people but not seeking to amend the defence papers they had submitted which failed to make any specific admissions relating to phone hacking.” | “At the hearing before Mr Justice Mann the defendants Trinity Mirror tried to close down the case by making general admissions of liability for hacking the phones of four people but not seeking to amend the defence papers they had submitted which failed to make any specific admissions relating to phone hacking.” |
| “After years of denial and obstruction and dragging the targets of their illegal activity through month after month of expensive and drawn-out litigation it is great news that open justice will now be served by forcing this company to come clean on what happened and what it now admits happened.” | “After years of denial and obstruction and dragging the targets of their illegal activity through month after month of expensive and drawn-out litigation it is great news that open justice will now be served by forcing this company to come clean on what happened and what it now admits happened.” |