Phone hacking: 46 new claims directed at News Group

ANOTHER 46 claims of phone hacking have been made against News Group Newspapers as part of the ongoing series of civil actions.

Hugh Tomlinson QC told the High Court that the total number of alleged victims has reached 4,791.

Police have contacted 1,892 people, of whom 1,174 are likely to be victims.

Mr Justice Vos is considering a number of issues relating to the second wave of the litigation ahead of a February 2013 trial date for any cases that do not settle.

He warned of the importance of budgeting after it emerged that £10 million had so far been incurred in individual cases.

He said it was “unbelievable” that 55 different firms of solicitors were representing 100 claimants and said it would be appropriate to encourage claimants to instruct lawyers who already had specialist knowledge of the litigation.

And the judge said there would be no sympathy for “outrageous” cost estimates.