Phone Hacking: More Compensation Claims Expected Against News Corp.'s News International (Report)

LONDON – Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. publishing division News International is expected to face at least 230 new compensation claims from alleged victims of The News of The World phone-hacking.

our editor recommends

Phone Hacking: News International Moves To Throw A Case Out of Court Rather Than Settle

News Corp. Hacking Cost Hits $224 Million

According to a report in The Guardian, 68 new civil claims for phone-hacking damages have now been lodged with the high court including former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona and her ex husband and former Westlife boy band member Brian McFadden.

STORY: Phone Hacking: Police Chief Overseeing Investigation Changes

The names were revealed during a high court case-management conference overseen by Mr Justice Vos Friday, The Guardian reported.

Hugh Tomlinson, a barrister representing phone-hacking victims, also told the high court that 395 people had now applied for disclosure of phone-hacking evidence from the Metropolitan police and up to 40 more claims were expected to be lodged by the deadline set by Vos of September 14.

Tomlinson told the conference that in addition 124 phone-hacking claims have been accepted into the News International compensation fund.

He said he believed the total number of new claims will be "somewhere under 300".

The numbers for expected civil claims and people applying separately to the compensation scheme revealed at the high court on Friday suggests the final figure will be at least 230.

These claims are in addition to more than 50 civil cases settled by News International earlier this year with victims including actors Jude Law, Steve Coogan and singer Charlotte Church.