Murdoch firm pays hacking damages to 37
Source: Agencies |
January 20, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
RUPERT Murdoch's British newspaper company yesterday agreed to pay damages to 37 high-profile victims of tabloid phone-hacking, including actor Jude Law, soccer player Ashley Cole and former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.
In settlements, the financial terms of which were made public yesterday, amounts generally ran into the tens of thousands of pounds - although Law received 130,000 pounds (US$200,000) to settle claims against the now-closed News of the World tabloid, and its sister paper The Sun.
News Group Newspapers admitted that 16 articles about Law published in the News of the World between 2003 and 2006 had been obtained by phone hacking, and that the actor had also been placed under "repeated and sustained physical surveillance."
The company also admitted that articles in The Sun tabloid misused Law's private information - although it gave no further details. Law's lawyer said yesterday the acts had caused "considerable distress ... distrust and suspicion."
Law was one of 60 people who have sued News Group Newspapers after claiming their mobile phone voicemails were hacked. Other cases settled at London's High Court yesterday include those of former government ministers Chris Bryant and Tessa Jowell, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, ex-model Abi Titmuss and Sara Payne, whose daughter was murdered.
Law's ex-wife Sadie Frost received 50,000 pounds in damages plus legal costs for phone hacking and deceit by the News of the World. Bryant received 30,000 pounds in damages plus costs, while Prescott accepted 40,000 pounds.
After each statement, News Group lawyer Michael Silverleaf stood to express the news company's "sincere apologies" for the damage and distress its illegal activity had caused.
In some cases the company admitted hacking into emails as well as voicemails. Christopher Shipman, son of serial killer Harold Shipman, had emails intercepted by the News of the Word. He was awarded "substantial" undisclosed damages.
The scandal exposed a cozy relationship between police, politicians and newspaper executives at Murdoch's media empire. A government-commissioned inquiry is currently investigating the ethics of Britain's media.
Mark Lewis, a lawyer for many of the phone hacking victims, said that the fight against Murdoch wasn't over.
"Fewer than 1 percent of the people who were hacked have settled their cases. There are many more cases in the pipeline," said Lewis.
In settlements, the financial terms of which were made public yesterday, amounts generally ran into the tens of thousands of pounds - although Law received 130,000 pounds (US$200,000) to settle claims against the now-closed News of the World tabloid, and its sister paper The Sun.
News Group Newspapers admitted that 16 articles about Law published in the News of the World between 2003 and 2006 had been obtained by phone hacking, and that the actor had also been placed under "repeated and sustained physical surveillance."
The company also admitted that articles in The Sun tabloid misused Law's private information - although it gave no further details. Law's lawyer said yesterday the acts had caused "considerable distress ... distrust and suspicion."
Law was one of 60 people who have sued News Group Newspapers after claiming their mobile phone voicemails were hacked. Other cases settled at London's High Court yesterday include those of former government ministers Chris Bryant and Tessa Jowell, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, ex-model Abi Titmuss and Sara Payne, whose daughter was murdered.
Law's ex-wife Sadie Frost received 50,000 pounds in damages plus legal costs for phone hacking and deceit by the News of the World. Bryant received 30,000 pounds in damages plus costs, while Prescott accepted 40,000 pounds.
After each statement, News Group lawyer Michael Silverleaf stood to express the news company's "sincere apologies" for the damage and distress its illegal activity had caused.
In some cases the company admitted hacking into emails as well as voicemails. Christopher Shipman, son of serial killer Harold Shipman, had emails intercepted by the News of the Word. He was awarded "substantial" undisclosed damages.
The scandal exposed a cozy relationship between police, politicians and newspaper executives at Murdoch's media empire. A government-commissioned inquiry is currently investigating the ethics of Britain's media.
Mark Lewis, a lawyer for many of the phone hacking victims, said that the fight against Murdoch wasn't over.
"Fewer than 1 percent of the people who were hacked have settled their cases. There are many more cases in the pipeline," said Lewis.
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