High Court Drama: MGN Faces 101 Celebrity Phone-Hacking Claims

Mirror Group Newspapers faces 101 phone-hacking lawsuits, including claims from celebrities like Kate Winslet and Sean Bean. MGN admits to past unlawful practices and seeks trial in 2025 to address claims. Previous trials involved Prince Harry, highlighting the ongoing legal battles over privacy invasions.

Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) is embroiled in 101 phone-hacking lawsuits from public figures such as actors Kate Winslet, Sean Bean, and the estate of cricketer Shane Warne, London's High Court heard recently. The publisher, owned by Reach, is dealing with litigation over alleged phone hacking for over a decade.

MGN has acknowledged unlawful information gathering in its newspapers during the early 2000s, before Prince Harry and others went to trial. Harry was awarded £140,600 when the court ruled he had been targeted. Settling parts of his lawsuit, Harry continues his legal mission with another case against Rupert Murdoch's newspaper entity set for January.

The company requested a 2025 trial to assess if some lawsuits were delayed. Judge Timothy Fancourt ruled such a trial could expedite case resolutions, scheduling it for November 2025. An MGN spokesperson expressed regret for past wrongdoings, acknowledging accountability and offering compensation.

(With inputs from agencies.)