Mother of bomb victim launches hacking claim

The case of Sheila Henry, whose 28-year-old son Christian Small was killed in the 7/7 terror attacks in 2005, will be one of six test cases for civil damages claims against News Group Newspapers over phone hacking claims.

Lawyers told Mr Justice Vos during a hearing in London that Mrs Henry had launched legal proceedings earlier this week, although they gave no details of her claim.

It comes as news emerged that News International chairman James Murdoch is to face more questions from a House of Commons committee.

Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairman John Whittingdale said Mr Murdoch, who gave evidence to the committee two months ago alongside his father Rupert Murdoch, was being recalled.

He said questions would focus on discrepancies between Mr Murdoch’s evidence in July and evidence given to the committee last week by former News of the World editor Colin Myler and ex-News International lawyer Tom Crone.

In 2007, Glenn Mulcaire and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman were given jail terms after the Old Bailey heard they plotted to hack into Royal aides’ telephone messages. New police inquiries have started since then.

News International shut down the News of the World in July in the wake of the hacking scandal.

Mr Myler and Mr Crone insisted that they told Mr Murdoch in a 2008 meeting about an e-mail, which showed that phone hacking was not confined to a single rogue reporter on the News of the World – something the News Corporation executive has always denied.

Mr Crone told MPs he was “certain” he told Mr Murdoch about an e-mail which indicated phone hacking at the paper went beyond one rogue reporter.

He said “it was the reason that we had to settle” a case. Former editor Mr Myler also told the committee the e-mail was discussed.

James Murdoch, however, has insisted he was not told about the e-mail.

In July, he and his father – the head of News Corporation – faced nearly three hours in front of the Parliamentary committee, answering questions about what they had done to unravel the scandal at the News of the World.

“Clearly, there are different accounts which we have heard,” said Mr Whittingdale. “We have spent some time questioning Tom Crone and Colin Myler last week about their version of what happened.

“We would want to put that to James Murdoch and hear more about how he recalls the meeting.”

A spokesman for News Corporation said yesterday that Mr Murdoch would be “happy to appear in front of the committee again to answer any further questions members might have”.

Earlier this year, Mr Justice Vos heard that around 30 high-profile figures who suspect that their phone messages were intercepted by journalists working for the News of the World were taking legal action.

Celebrities claiming damages included politician Lord Prescott, actor Jude Law, comedian Steve Coogan and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne.

The judge is due to hear evidence from a group of “lead claimants” at a trial in January – and any rulings he makes are expected to provide a blueprint for the way other claims are dealt with.

A separate public inquiry set up by Prime Minister David Cameron and headed by senior judge Lord Justice Leveson is also due to hear evidence on media ethics and over the next year.

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