Phone hacking: Mirror Group fights 'excessive' damages

  • Published
Alan Yentob, Sadie Frost, Paul Gascoigne, Lucy Taggart, Robert Ashworth, Lauren Alcorn, Shane Richie, Shobna GulatiImage source, PA/BBC
Image caption,

Clockwise from top left: Alan Yentob, Sadie Frost, Paul Gascoigne, Lucy Taggart, Robert Ashworth, Lauren Alcorn, Shane Richie, Shobna Gulati

A newspaper group is seeking the right to appeal against the level of damages awarded to eight phone hacking victims, including ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne.

Last month the High Court told Mirror Group Newspapers to pay almost £1.25m in total to victims who were targeted by reporters writing celebrity stories.

They included actors Sadie Frost, Shane Richie, Lucy Taggart and Shobna Gulati.

Mirror Group owner Trinity Mirror said it accepted it should pay damages but called the amounts "excessive".

A two-day hearing will be held at the High Court on 10 and 11 June to decide whether an appeal can go ahead.

'Fundamentally flawed'

In a statement, Trinity Mirror said it was "committed to repairing the damage that we caused" and its challenge was "about ascertaining the right level of damages payable".

"We believe that the judgment is fundamentally flawed because the basis used for calculating damages is incorrect and the amounts awarded are excessive and disproportionate," it added.

Awarding the damages on 21 May, Mr Justice Mann said the amounts reflected the invasions of privacy being "so serious and so prolonged".

Ms Frost received the largest award - £260,000.

The other victims were BBC creative director Alan Yentob, TV producer Robert Ashworth, who was married to Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw, and flight attendant Lauren Alcorn, who had a relationship with footballer Rio Ferdinand.