Senior NoW exec implicated in Jude Law phone hacking case

The tabloid has always denied the involvement of its senior management, yet documents in Mr Law’s civil case seen by the legal team disclosed a name.

The High Court today revealed the actor’s case as one of the lead test cases due to be tried early next year.

It also emerged that the number of alleged hacking cases now stands at 149, rather than a previously estimated 91 allegations.

Mr Law will be one of the first to have his claim heard – alongside Labour MP Chris Bryant, designer Kelly Hoppen, agent Sky Andrew and football pundit Andy Gray.

The judge said there was “significant overlap” between the cases of Mr Law and Ms Hoppen – who is the stepmother of Mr Law’s former fiancée Sienna Miller – but there was also a significant difference in their profile and, without the actor, who complains about 16 articles, the action might be left without anyone of “independent high profile”.

Mr Justice Vos said the cases cover a range of alleged situations and settling them would make it easier for other cases to be resolved without the need for further hearings.

He added that the trial would cover the issues of “what was agreed to be done, by whom, for what purpose, over what period and who was involved”.

PHONE HACKING CODE:

The trials, which are due to take place in January, follow a series of recent rulings over the disclosure of information by the Metropolitan Police and Vodafone. It related to material obtained from private detective Glenn Mulcaire who, with News of the World reporter Clive Goodman, was jailed over royal phone taps in 2007, and data from other mobile phone users.

The judge today also named a second tier of claims, which will move up should any of the lead cases settle – as has happened with Miss Miller’s action, although it has yet to be formalised through a statement in open court.

They are those of former MP George Galloway, footballer Paul Gascoigne, actor Steve Coogan, PR consultant Max Clifford’s former assistant Nicola Phillips, and model Elle Macpherson’s former adviser Mary-Ellen Field.

The judge said Mr Andrew’s case was chosen as he was admitted in the criminal prosecution to have been the subject of interception, and was an example of someone about whom no article was published but who attracted interest because of the people he acted for.

Kelly Hoppen was significant because she was said to have been targeted over a lengthy period up until 2009, was the subject of 11 articles and was allegedly harassed.

The judge said Mr Gray’s case was useful because it was admitted there was an article written about him as a result of a message he left, so the court would not have to determine whether material was obtained by normal journalistic methods, as it might have to do in Ms Hoppen’s case.

MP Chris Bryant should be included, he added, because a number of politicians had brought claims and the kind of damages involved in such cases were likely to be different.