The Sun hacking claims given the go ahead by judge
The phone hacking scandal against News UK has been reignited as a High Court judge has ruled claims against the Sun newspaper by phone-hacking victims can go ahead.
The civil actions against News UK had, until now, centred on the News of the World however recent testimonies have incorporated the Sun.
News UK’s subsidiary company News Group Newspapers, which publishes the tabloid the Sun, has previously settled more than 1000 phone hacking claims brought against the now-defunct News of the World. The group has publicly claimed there was no hacking activity at its sister tabloid.
This is despite private investigator and convicted phone hacker, Glenn Mulcaire, giving examples of stories published in the Sun in 2004 which he says were the source of phone hacking earlier this year.
Mr Justice Mann today (28 April) allowed the claims against the Sun to proceed.
Previous claims against News Group Newspapers by four claimants can now be amended to include the Sun newspaper as part of the new ruling.
Two of those claims are among a number scheduled for a trial in July, the BBC reported.
Chris Hutchings, one of the lead solicitors for those claiming their private voicemail messages were hacked, said: "Today's ruling brings the Sun squarely into the civil litigation being brought against News Group.
"The court has now allowed claimants, for the first time, to include claims of phone hacking by the newspaper.
"The decision will also affect up to 50 further cases which are about to be commenced against the Defendant and will widen the disclosure of documentation it will have to provide going forward."