Phone hacking was "rife" at Mirror Group Newspapers' three national titles from 1999 to 2006, a court has heard.
Phone hacking was "rife" at Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) from 1999 to 2006, a court has heard.
Claimants' counsel David Sherborne told London's High Court that journalists at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People hacked the phones of public figures on a daily basis.
Counsel David Sherborne said the hacking was on an industrial scale and far larger than that which took place at the News of the World.
Court documents say Mirror Group (MGN) has admitted obtaining 99 stories about the claimants by hacking their phones.
He said that journalists at the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the People hacked phones on a daily basis.
The court is considering the cases brought by eight high-profile figures.
The hearing at the High Court in London is considering cases brought by eight high-profile figures.
They are TV executive Alan Yentob, soap stars Shane Richie, Shobna Gulati and Lucy Benjamin, TV producer Robert Ashworth, actress Sadie Frost, former footballer Paul Gascoigne and flight attendant Lauren Alcorn, who had a relationship with footballer Rio Ferdinand.
Mr Sherborne is representing TV executive Alan Yentob, soap stars Shane Richie, Shobna Gulati and Lucy Benjamin, former footballer Paul Gascoigne, actress Sadie Frost, TV producer Robert Ashworth and flight attendant Lauren Alcorn.
Mr Sherborne told the court these were "representative claims" aimed at establishing damages guidelines for subsequent cases against MGN.
Seven of the claimants have referred to at least 109 published stories.
In opening statements, he estimated that more than 2,000 calls were made to try to access voicemail messages in the case of Mr Yentob alone.
In opening statements, Mr Sherborne estimated that more than 2,000 calls were made to try to access voicemail messages in the case of Mr Yentob.
The court heard that one journalist hacked the phones of celebrities about 100 times a day between 2003 and 2004.
The court heard that one journalist hacked the phones of about 100 celebrities each day.
'Valuable source'
'Valuable source'
Mr Sherborne said: "It is a reasonable inference that phone hacking was rife at all three of MGN's national titles at or around the same time, that is by mid-1999 at the latest."
Counsel said that MGN had admitted that all eight were the victims of voicemail interception and other unlawful methods of information gathering by journalists working for the three titles.
Counsel said MGN had admitted that all eight claimants were the victims of voicemail interception and other unlawful methods of information gathering by journalists working for its papers.
Mr Sherborne told the court these were "representative claims" aimed at establishing damages guidelines for subsequent cases against MGN.
MGN also admitted that a number of stories would not have appeared but for the voicemail interception.
Mr Sherborne said as well as hacking, private investigators were also used.
Mr Sherborne said that the wrongdoing complained of was carried out intentionally for cynical commercial reasons.
He said: "The fact that MGN continued its phone hacking at such levels and over the course of so many years more than evidences its utility as a valuable source of information, particularly for publishing stories in its three most popular newspaper titles".
"The fact that MGN continued its phone hacking at such levels and over the course of so many years more than evidences its utility as a valuable source of information, particularly for publishing stories in its three most popular newspaper titles," he said.
In MGN's written argument, Matthew Nicklin QC said it published a public apology to all hacking victims and its parent company Trinity Mirror had sent private letters of apology to the eight claimants.
Mr Sherborne said hacking and "blagging" - the illegal obtaining of information often using private investigators - had been the predominant way of getting stories at the Mirror and the People.
He said: "The claimants now face trial secure in the knowledge that MGN has admitted liability, and has also publicly and privately apologised to them and expressed regret at what certain of its former employees did in the past."
Members of editorial staff and senior journalists were directing such activity on a daily basis and steps had had been taken to destroy evidence of their involvement, he added.
The case continues on Tuesday.
Mr Sherborne said the hacking was on an industrial scale - far larger than that which took place at the News of the World - involving dozens of journalists making thousands of calls to scores of celebrities' phone numbers.
The court has to establish the extent of MGN's liability and set damages for the claimants. The case is expected to last two weeks.
The group has already settled a number of claims involving celebrity figures. MGN apologised to victims last month.
