Andy Gray settles phone-hacking case

TalkSport presenter accepts £20,000 from News of the World publisher, following Sienna Miller’s settlement last month TalkSport presenter Andy Gray has accepted £20,000 from News of the World publisher News Group to settle his phone-hacking claim against the newspaper. The newspaper group reached a similar agreement last month with actor Sienna Miller, who dropped her action and received £100,000 in damages. Gray was one of five phone-hacking test cases that were due to be go to court in January next year. Gray’s legal costs will also be met. News International said in a statement: “News Group Newspapers announces today that it has reached an agreement with Andy Gray to pay him £20,000 in damages plus undisclosed costs. “This concludes the action Andy Gray was taking against NGN over voicemail interception in relation to the News of the World.” News International announced last week that a former high court judge, Sir Charles Gray, had been appointed to administer it’s phone-hacking compensation scheme, which it is setting up to encourage victims to settle instead of pursing their civil claims through the courts. It is offering to pay them 10% more than the amount the courts are likely to award in damages, plus legal costs, once the scheme is set up later this year. The company has set aside up to £20m to pay off claimants it believes have a reasonable chance of winning their court cases. Gray’s was to be one of fives cases due to be heard in January 2012 along with those of Labour MP and former minister Chris Bryant, interior designer Kelly Hoppen, actor Jude Law and football agent Sky Andrew. One of the five reserve cases chosen by Justice Vos in May is now likely to be heard as part of next year’s trial in place of Gray’s case. They are being brought by Nicola Phillips, a publicist who used to work for Max Clifford, former MP George Galloway, former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, Mary-Ellen Field, who was employed as a PR adviser to Elle MacPherson, and comedian Steve Coogan. •

Posted by on June 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.