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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| News International denies hacking phone of Elle Macpherson's adviser | News International denies hacking phone of Elle Macpherson's adviser |
| (8 days later) | |
| News International is denying claims that the News of the World hacked into the voicemails of Elle Macpherson, during a time when the model employed Mary Ellen Field as her adviser, as part of its bid to get a high-profile phone-hacking case thrown out of court. | News International is denying claims that the News of the World hacked into the voicemails of Elle Macpherson, during a time when the model employed Mary Ellen Field as her adviser, as part of its bid to get a high-profile phone-hacking case thrown out of court. |
| The high court heard on Friday that this is the basis for News International's application to have a civil case taken by Field struck out during a hearing which has been listed for 10 October. | The high court heard on Friday that this is the basis for News International's application to have a civil case taken by Field struck out during a hearing which has been listed for 10 October. |
| News International's unequivocal position emerged during a discussion at a case-management conference overseen by Mr Justice Vos. | News International's unequivocal position emerged during a discussion at a case-management conference overseen by Mr Justice Vos. |
| Vos told the phone-hacking claimant's barrister, Jeremy Reed: "You are asking questions [about the] interception of Ms Macpherson's phone and they deny they intercepted Ms Field's phone ... their response is they didn't intercept their phones." | Vos told the phone-hacking claimant's barrister, Jeremy Reed: "You are asking questions [about the] interception of Ms Macpherson's phone and they deny they intercepted Ms Field's phone ... their response is they didn't intercept their phones." |
| He said News Group Newspapers, the News International subsidiary that published the now-closed News of the World, is claiming the paper did not intercept the messages on Field's phone or her messages left for Ms Macpherson. | He said News Group Newspapers, the News International subsidiary that published the now-closed News of the World, is claiming the paper did not intercept the messages on Field's phone or her messages left for Ms Macpherson. |
| Vos revealed that there is also some dispute over the dates at which the alleged phone hacking took place and whether it was when Field was still working for Macpherson. "The point is the date, they [NI] say the date is king," said Vos. | Vos revealed that there is also some dispute over the dates at which the alleged phone hacking took place and whether it was when Field was still working for Macpherson. "The point is the date, they [NI] say the date is king," said Vos. |
| In evidence to the Leveson inquiry, Field said her reputation was "trashed" after Macpherson suspected she had leaked stories to the press. Field believes these stories came from phone hacking. | In evidence to the Leveson inquiry, Field said her reputation was "trashed" after Macpherson suspected she had leaked stories to the press. Field believes these stories came from phone hacking. |
| The judge said his priority now was to get on with assessing the scale of damages appropriate for the 230 or more expected phone-hacking claimants. He told more than 20 lawyers gathered in court 26 that he no longer wanted to progress the phone-hacking claims on a "piecemeal" basis. | The judge said his priority now was to get on with assessing the scale of damages appropriate for the 230 or more expected phone-hacking claimants. He told more than 20 lawyers gathered in court 26 that he no longer wanted to progress the phone-hacking claims on a "piecemeal" basis. |
| "I am assessing damages. I am not conducting a public inquiry. I do think we need to lance the boil of exemplary damages," he said. | "I am assessing damages. I am not conducting a public inquiry. I do think we need to lance the boil of exemplary damages," he said. |
| He ordered a three-day hearing to start on 25 September, which will consider the question of the proportionality of the claims and the future progression of civil litigation against News International. | He ordered a three-day hearing to start on 25 September, which will consider the question of the proportionality of the claims and the future progression of civil litigation against News International. |
| 26 September, which remains free, is the date when several former News International executives including Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are due to appear at Southwark crown court in relation to phone-hacking charges. | 26 September, which remains free, is the date when several former News International executives including Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are due to appear at Southwark crown court in relation to phone-hacking charges. |
| "I am only assessing the damages, and in a number of test cases we can get these done and dusted and people can have their damages and go and do someting else," he said, adding he was the last person who wanted to jeopardise any criminal proceedings. | "I am only assessing the damages, and in a number of test cases we can get these done and dusted and people can have their damages and go and do someting else," he said, adding he was the last person who wanted to jeopardise any criminal proceedings. |
| Jason Beer, counsel for the Metrpolitan police, told the high court there was as yet no indication of the "length of the trial or time of trial" as it had not been decided whether trials of defendants in the criminal proceedings would take place together or separately. | Jason Beer, counsel for the Metrpolitan police, told the high court there was as yet no indication of the "length of the trial or time of trial" as it had not been decided whether trials of defendants in the criminal proceedings would take place together or separately. |
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