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| Labour MP given 'substantial damages' after Sun accessed text messages | Labour MP given 'substantial damages' after Sun accessed text messages |
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| The Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh has accepted "very substantial damages" from News International, with the Sun admitting that it accessed text messages from her mobile phone after it was stolen, the high court has heard. | The Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh has accepted "very substantial damages" from News International, with the Sun admitting that it accessed text messages from her mobile phone after it was stolen, the high court has heard. |
| Details of the payout to McDonagh came on at a high court case management hearing relating to civil damages claims for voicemail interception on Monday, which heard that "hundreds" more victims may now take action against News International following allegations of a second significant phone-hacking operation at the now defunct News of the World. | Details of the payout to McDonagh came on at a high court case management hearing relating to civil damages claims for voicemail interception on Monday, which heard that "hundreds" more victims may now take action against News International following allegations of a second significant phone-hacking operation at the now defunct News of the World. |
| The Sun, which was not accused of stealing McDonagh's phone, admitted that there was "serious wrongdoing and misuse of her private information and her mobile phone" and agreed to pay her damages and legal costs. | The Sun, which was not accused of stealing McDonagh's phone, admitted that there was "serious wrongdoing and misuse of her private information and her mobile phone" and agreed to pay her damages and legal costs. |
| Dinah Rose, QC for News International, told the court that News International "offered their unreserved apology to the claimant for what had happened" and had undertaken not to use any information obtained from her phone. | Dinah Rose, QC for News International, told the court that News International "offered their unreserved apology to the claimant for what had happened" and had undertaken not to use any information obtained from her phone. |
| The settlement comes months after McDonagh launched legal action against the tabloid and won a court order preventing the Sun from publishing anything obtained from her phone. | The settlement comes months after McDonagh launched legal action against the tabloid and won a court order preventing the Sun from publishing anything obtained from her phone. |
| David Sherborne, counsel for McDonagh, said her phone had been stolen from her car in Colliers Wood in south-west London on 17 October 2010 and she immediately reported it to the police. | David Sherborne, counsel for McDonagh, said her phone had been stolen from her car in Colliers Wood in south-west London on 17 October 2010 and she immediately reported it to the police. |
| In an agreed statement read out in court, Sherborne said that almost two years later, in June 2012, McDonagh was told by police officers working on the Metropolitan police's Operation Tuleta inquiry into computer hacking and other allegations of criminal breaches of privacy, that "the Sun had accessed her text messages from about October 2010 and therefore appeared to have accessed and/or acquired her mobile phone". | In an agreed statement read out in court, Sherborne said that almost two years later, in June 2012, McDonagh was told by police officers working on the Metropolitan police's Operation Tuleta inquiry into computer hacking and other allegations of criminal breaches of privacy, that "the Sun had accessed her text messages from about October 2010 and therefore appeared to have accessed and/or acquired her mobile phone". |
| Later that month McDonald applied for disclosure from the police and in October sought delivery of the phone and an order injuncting the Sun from publishing the contents of her private messages. | Later that month McDonald applied for disclosure from the police and in October sought delivery of the phone and an order injuncting the Sun from publishing the contents of her private messages. |
| The court heard on Monday that the Sun complied with the injunction but "the mobile phone was not provided because it was not within the possession, power or control of the defendants". | The court heard on Monday that the Sun complied with the injunction but "the mobile phone was not provided because it was not within the possession, power or control of the defendants". |
| News International agreed to settle her claim in December after it "admitted liability on nearly every part of all of the claimant's claim; admitting that there was serious wrongdoing and misuse of her private information and her mobile phone", the court heard. | News International agreed to settle her claim in December after it "admitted liability on nearly every part of all of the claimant's claim; admitting that there was serious wrongdoing and misuse of her private information and her mobile phone", the court heard. |
| Hugh Tomlinson, QC for victims of alleged News of the World phone-hacking, also updated the court on the latest allegations and settlements by civil litigation. | Hugh Tomlinson, QC for victims of alleged News of the World phone-hacking, also updated the court on the latest allegations and settlements by civil litigation. |
| He said "a new conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages" involving "hundreds of victims" was being investigated by police. | He said "a new conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages" involving "hundreds of victims" was being investigated by police. |
| Tomlinson said 145 of 167 existing claimants against the News of the World had now settled and revealed that two new cases had been lodged in the high court, including one from EastEnders actor Shane Richie. | Tomlinson said 145 of 167 existing claimants against the News of the World had now settled and revealed that two new cases had been lodged in the high court, including one from EastEnders actor Shane Richie. |
| The court heard that the police have already started contacting victims in relation to the second phone-hacking investigation of the News of the World, which has been code-named Operation Pinetree. | |
| Richie is the first victim to have lodged a claim after being contacted by Operation Pinetree officers. | |
| The Met police investigation into alleged hacking at the Sunday Mirror had been code named Operation Golding. | The Met police investigation into alleged hacking at the Sunday Mirror had been code named Operation Golding. |
| Four separate civil damages claims for invasion of privacy, including one by former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson have been made against Sunday Mirror publisher Trinity Mirror so far, but a solicitor for the company told Vos at Monday's high court hearing that the company had made an application to have two of these claims struck out and parts of the remaining two claims to be struck out. | Four separate civil damages claims for invasion of privacy, including one by former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson have been made against Sunday Mirror publisher Trinity Mirror so far, but a solicitor for the company told Vos at Monday's high court hearing that the company had made an application to have two of these claims struck out and parts of the remaining two claims to be struck out. |
| He did not disclose which claims Trinity Mirror was trying to get thrown out, but said a hearing had been listed in the courts for 23 April. | He did not disclose which claims Trinity Mirror was trying to get thrown out, but said a hearing had been listed in the courts for 23 April. |
| Vos also adjourned plans for a trial of the remaining 23 claims arising out of the second tranche of litigation against News International over alleged News of the World phone hacking until an unspecified date after November. | Vos also adjourned plans for a trial of the remaining 23 claims arising out of the second tranche of litigation against News International over alleged News of the World phone hacking until an unspecified date after November. |
| The precise date will be decided when it is clear how long criminal trials of those charged in relation to alleged News of the World phone hacking, currently scheduled to last 40 days from 10 September, will take. | The precise date will be decided when it is clear how long criminal trials of those charged in relation to alleged News of the World phone hacking, currently scheduled to last 40 days from 10 September, will take. |
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