Gascoigne leads phone hacking test cases against News of World

12 April 2012

Paul Gascoigne was today named as one of the lead cases in the News of the World phone hacking litigation.

The former footballer was selected after Andy Gray, the sports commentator who had previously been one of the five claimants set to go to trial, settled with the News of the World this month.

The other lead cases are actor Jude Law, football agent Sky Andrew, interior designer Kelly Hoppen and MP Chris Bryant. More than 30 people have brought civil actions against the News of the World for invasion of privacy.

Mr Gascoigne's solicitor, Gerald Shamash, has previously claimed that the former England international was in a vulnerable mental state and that his recovery had been hindered because of the stress of believing that his phone had been hacked.

"It has made things even more difficult for his general wellbeing," Mr Shamash said.
Gascoigne has been fighting drink and drug problems for years and been in and out of rehabilitation clinics.

Mr Justice Vos ruled his action should be included at a case management conference held in the High Court. He said Gascoigne was a suitable replacement as both he and Gray came from a footballing background.

He had earlier been told that other claimants could also settle before the actions are determined in the trial to start January next year.

News International, the court was told, had made "an offer in a number of cases".
Mr Gray received £20,000 from the News of the World, which also agreed to pay his costs.
The newspaper's former royal reporter Clive Goodman and private detective Glenn Mulcaire were jailed in 2007 for intercepting messages from members of the royal household.

The new inquiry was set up following allegations that other famous people also had their messages intercepted.

Three News of the World journalists have been arrested and questioned since the inquiry was launched but no new charges have been brought.
Last week a woman was also arrested in West Yorkshire by detectives and later released.

This week Laura Elston, a reporter with the Press Association, was questioned and bailed until October.

Earlier this month former High Court judge Sir Charles Gray was appointed to oversee the compensation scheme set up by the News of the World's publishers for victims of phone hacking.

It aims to offer a fast and fair way for victims to be compensated without having to go to court and incurring legal costs.

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