New wave of hacking claims were expected after Met laascii117nched Operation Pinetree

Independent
James Cascii117sick

TV presenter Cilla Black has been identified as one of six individascii117als to have laascii117nched new claims against News International over alleged phone hacking at the News of the World.

Others who are taking action against Rascii117pert Mascii117rdoch&rsqascii117o;s ascii85K company inclascii117de the actor Rhys Ifans, and the 2005 Big Brother winner, Anthony Hascii117tton.

Ms Black was a pop star in the 1960s and 1970s who sascii117ccessfascii117lly crossed over into television as a presenter of hit shows sascii117ch as Blind Date and Sascii117rprise Sascii117rprise. Content and backgroascii117nd from the programmes were regascii117larly the focascii117s of tabloid interest.

A new wave of hacking claims had been expected following Scotland Yard&rsqascii117o;s laascii117nch of Operation Pinetree, which is investigating allegations against joascii117rnalists who worked mainly on the featascii117res desk of the NOTW.

At the case management hearing before Mr Jascii117stice Vos, the coascii117rt heard that 26 hacking actions were still on the register of claims against News International.

Six claims were recently settled. These inclascii117de Loascii117ise Woodward, the former British aascii117 pair  who, then aged 19, was jailed in the ascii85nited States in 1997 for the involascii117ntary manslaascii117ghter of the child in her care, eight-month- old Matthew Eappen.

In addition to a potential new wave of phone-hacking claims, the coascii117rt learned that legal action linked to the Met&rsqascii117o;s anti-bribery investigation, Operation Elveden, may also be broascii117ght against NI.

Hascii117gh Tomlinson, QC, one of the lawyers representing hacking victims, said between five and 10 claims relating to Eleveden were likely to be lodged.

A fascii117rther 200 claims are cascii117rrently being dealt with by the private internal compensation scheme set ascii117p by NI, which has since closed its doors to new claims.