Vos J orders parties to identify 4 or 5 cases to go forward to determine common issues in News of the World claims
Mr Justice Vos has ordered that the various ‘phone hacking’ claims against News Group Newspapers Limited and Glenn Mulcaire will proceed by way a trial of ‘test’ cases, at which the other parties will be able to be represented in respect of certain common issues.
The judge, appointed to deal with the litigation by the Chancellor of the High Court, made the order at a case management conference today, attended by representatives of each of the claimants; News Group Newspapers Limited; Mr Mulcaire; Ian Edmondson, the former News of the World Assistant Editor who is a defendant in a claim brought by Nicola Phillips, a former assistant to Max Clifford; the Metropolitan Police; the Information Commissioner’s Office; and telephone company O2.
He suggested that the trial cases could be those of football agent Sky Andrew, commentator Andy Gray, designer Kelly Hoppen and actress Sienna Miller, as they were relatively advanced and covered a range of issues. However, the identity of the test cases will be finally determined at another case management conference, to take place next month.
5RB‘s Alexandra Marzec (instructed by Payne Hicks Beach) acts for Glenn Mulcaire; David Sherborne (instructed by Atkins Thomson) acts for Sienna Miller and Kelly Hoppen; William Bennett (instructed by Taylor Hampton) acts for claimants Kieren Fallon, Mary-Ellen Field, Mick McGuire and Nicola Phillips; and Richard Munden (instructed by PSB Law) acts for Ian Edmondson.
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