News International apologises for phone-hacking
News International has admitted liability and apologised to several public figures who claimed their mobile phones had been hacked by the News of the World.
The publisher described "past behaviour" at the tabloid as "a matter of genuine regret" and said it had instructed lawyers to set up a compensation scheme for "justifiable claims".
Its dramatic announcement follows an "extensive internal investigation" into the tabloid's conduct and disclosures through civil cases.
The phone-hacking dispute has come to a head after a number of public figures such as Steve Coogan and Leslie Ash took High Court action.
Celebrities including Sienna Miller, the ex-Sky Sports commentator Andy Gray and former culture secretary Tessa Jowell could be among the victims to receive apologies and payouts.
In a statement, the company said: "News International has decided to approach some civil litigants with an unreserved apology and an admission of liability in cases meeting specific criteria.
"That said, past behaviour at the News of the World in relation to voicemail interception is a matter of genuine regret. It is now apparent that our previous inquiries failed to uncover important evidence and we acknowledge our actions then were not sufficiently robust."
Mark Lewis, who is acting on behalf of several celebrities who claim their forms were hacked, said the compensation could easily run into millions of pounds.
Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, said today's admission still leaves "major questions" unanswered.
He said: "We still know little about how widespread this practice was at the News of the World, how many journalists were involved and – crucially – how many senior executives at News International may be implicated.
“It is only through the determined pursuit of civil cases through the courts by a few victims – and some dogged investigative journalism – that the full extent of this criminal activity in the country’s biggest selling newspaper has come to light. News International’s insistence that a single “rogue reporter” was responsible has been discredited.
“It is now essential for the revival of reputable press ethics in Britain that all the information now being made available to litigants is placed in the public domain, that we know the full extent of alleged executive involvement, and that a full inquiry is launched into the Metropolitan Police’s first investigation. This apology should not be used as an excuse to brush the full scale of journalistic malpractice and possible inadequate policing under the carpet.”