This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/oct/03/steve-coogan-wins-phone-hacking-damages-from-mirror-group

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Steve Coogan wins phone-hacking damages from Mirror Group Steve Coogan wins phone-hacking damages from Mirror Group
(about 1 hour later)
Steve Coogan has received hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages from the publisher of the Daily Mirror after it admitted hacking his phone and then covering up its unlawful activities. Steve Coogan has received hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages from the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People after it admitted hacking his phone and then covering up its unlawful activities.
The actor and comedian appeared at the high court in London on Tuesday for the settlement hearing. The amount of damages was not revealed in court and is confidential, but Coogan confirmed afterwards it was a six-figure sum. It is thought to be one of the biggest ever payments related to phone hacking. The actor and comedian appeared at the high court in London on Tuesday for his settlement to be confirmed in front of Mr Justice Mann. The amount of damages was not revealed in court and is confidential, but Coogan confirmed afterwards it was a six-figure sum. It is thought to be one of the biggest ever payments related to phone hacking.
Speaking outside court, Coogan said the outcome was vindication for him, and that most of the settlement would go to good causes. Speaking outside court, Coogan said the outcome was vindication for him. He said the scale of the payout “will make Mirror executives blush” and that most of it would go to good causes.
David Sherborne, who was representing Coogan, said in court that the comedian had identified 62 articles in the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and the People that he alleges came from hacking his voicemail, unlawfully obtaining personal information from third parties, and surveillance by private investigators. Coogan described the behaviour of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) as a disgrace and an “insult to the memory of Hugh Cudlipp [the former editor of the Daily Mirror]”.
He called for the second part of the Leveson inquiry into the British press to take place so that the allegations of hacking at MGN could be properly scrutinised.
“It is my view that editors and executives, such as Sly Bailey, Piers Morgan, Paul Vickers, Tina Weaver and Richard Wallace, have not yet been subjected to proper scrutiny, taking into account what has emerged since the first half of the inquiry,” he said. “The second part of the Leveson inquiry must find out who hacked, who knew about it, and who covered it up or turned a blind eye. The Leveson inquiry must be completed now as the government has promised.”
Morgan, Weaver and Wallace edited MGN titles during the periods covered by the allegations, while Bailey was chief executive of MGN’s parent company, Trinity Mirror, and Vickers was the legal director. They have all denied being involved in phone hacking or having knowledge of it.
Lawyers representing MGN said in court that it “acknowledges that Mr Coogan was the target of unlawful activities and that these activities were concealed until years later”. They added: “It apologises to Mr Coogan for its wrongdoing over a decade ago and for any articles that were the product of unlawful activity and for the concealment of these activities. MGN apologises to Mr Coogan and accepts that he and other victims should not have been denied the truth for so long.”
David Sherborne, who was representing Coogan, said that the comedian had identified 62 articles in the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and the People that he alleges came from hacking his voicemail, unlawfully obtaining personal information from third parties, and surveillance by private investigators.
These articles caused “enormous distress and significant damage to Mr Coogan’s relationships with those he wrongly suspected had leaked the private information or who believed he was the cause of their private information being made public”, Sherborne said.These articles caused “enormous distress and significant damage to Mr Coogan’s relationships with those he wrongly suspected had leaked the private information or who believed he was the cause of their private information being made public”, Sherborne said.
Lawyers representing MGN, which is part of Trinity Mirror, said it “acknowledges that Mr Coogan was the target of unlawful activities and that these activities were concealed until years later”. The barrister added: “Mr Coogan is clear that if Trinity Mirror had conducted a proper investigation at an early stage then the unlawful activity could have been stopped, and prevented the enormous distress and damage it caused its victims, their family and friends.”
They added: “MGN apologises to Mr Coogan and accepts that he and other victims should not have been denied the truth for so long.” Trinity Mirror has put aside more than £50m to cover the costs of the hacking scandal, including compensation payouts and legal fees.
Trinity Mirror put aside more than £50m to cover the costs of the hacking scandal, including compensation payouts and legal fees.
Earlier this year it settled phone-hacking claims with 44 celebrities, including the former England football manager Kevin Keegan, the writer Jeffrey Archer, the actor Patsy Kensit and the former home secretary Charles Clarke. It also completed settlements with 29 people last November, including the entertainer Les Dennis, the presenter Natasha Kaplinsky and the EastEnders actor Steve McFadden.Earlier this year it settled phone-hacking claims with 44 celebrities, including the former England football manager Kevin Keegan, the writer Jeffrey Archer, the actor Patsy Kensit and the former home secretary Charles Clarke. It also completed settlements with 29 people last November, including the entertainer Les Dennis, the presenter Natasha Kaplinsky and the EastEnders actor Steve McFadden.