Jude Law settles phone-hack claim
More victims of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal have settled their damages claims, the High Court in London heard today.
Actor Jude Law, former British deputy prime minister John Prescott and Labour MP Chris Bryant are among 19 claimants whose settlements were confirmed.
Lawyers for the claimants said the majority of people pursuing damages claims had now settled.
Other claimants whose settlements were confirmed today include Shaun Russell, whose wife and daughter were killed in Kent in England in 1996, former cavalry officer James Hewitt, former MP George Galloway and Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson.
Also among the 17 settlements confirmed in court were Sara Payne, the mother of murdered schoolgirl Sarah, the actress Sadie Frost, footballer Ashley Cole, singer Dannii Minogue and Meg Matthews, the ex-wife of former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher.
Mark Thomson, of Atkins Thomson, said other claimants had not settled and would press ahead with a trial scheduled for next month.
He said: “All of the claimants have been extremely brave to take on and succeed against a massive and influential multinational media organisation.
“They can take the credit for triggering the new police investigation, the parliamentary inquiries and the Leveson Inquiry. They should be very pleased with what they have achieved.
“A number of claimants are still pursuing the matter to trial and, as a result, NGN will continue to disclose further information and evidence.”
Today’s hearing before Mr Justice Vos follows the settlement of a number of other claims against News International subsidiary News Group Newspapers, publisher of the now defunct News of the World.
When the case was last before the judge, in December, it emerged that seven cases had been resolved with a number of others likely to be so.
It was said in other High Court proceedings in December, involving private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and NGN, that, as of then, more than 60 claimants had commenced proceedings against NGN and Mulcaire for breach of confidence and misuse of private information, with the majority outstanding.
