Phone Hacking: Russell Brand, Others File Civil Claims Against News International

Russell Brand, former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston, former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock and others have filed civil claims against the News International arm of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in the latest batch of phone hacking lawsuits.

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The final round of legal filings made before a Friday deadline, which were made public early this week, takes the number of new civil claims to 174, the Guardian reported.

News International, which used to manage the now-shuttered News of the World tabloid, is expected to see the cases go to trial next year if they are not settled.

STORY: Phone Hacking: More Than 40 New Civil Claims Filed

Also among those who filed lawsuits before Friday's deadline were from former Big Brother U.K. presenter Davina McCall, former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston, model Katie Price and her ex-husband and singer Peter Andre.

The Guardian said that the new batch of legal claims also includes one from a former News of the World show business reporter who left in 2003 to become news editor at the Sunday Mirror.

Last week, more than 50 other legal claims poured in, including ones from Hugh Grant, Sarah Ferguson and the former manager of Oasis.

In January and February, News International settled 58 phone hacking cases out of court. Damages in those cases went to such celebrities as Jude Law and Sienna Miller.

News Corp. has also received 124 claims via its own phone hacking compensation scheme, according to the Guardian.

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com
Twitter: @georgszalai