Jamie Theakston Gets Phone Hacking Damages

Jamie Theakston, Jeff Brazier and Colin Stagg are among the latest names to settle their damages actions over phone hacking.

The presenter, the boyfriend of the late Jade Goody and the man wrongly accused of murdering Rachel Nickell are among 22 claimants to have recently accepted offers of substantial damages from News Group Newspapers, the High Court has been told.

Others among the group are Lisa Brash, former girlfriend of Robbie Williams, golfer Colin Montgomerie's ex-wife Eimear Cook, and Major David Brooks, a relative by marriage of Mr Justice Vos, the judge presiding over the litigation.

The announcement came during the latest in a series of case management conferences ahead of a hearing next June, when compensation is to be assessed in any claims outstanding in this second wave of the litigation.

Hugh Tomlinson QC said it was likely that there would be a number of other settlements before the end of the year.

"It is also right to say that there will remain a substantial number of claims going forward."

In October, it was said that 167 claims were currently on the register.

The court is due to sit again on Monday to consider the publisher's attempt to strike out the claim brought by Mary-Ellen Field, former adviser to model Elle Macpherson, on the basis that no phone interception took place.