News International's bid to contain scandal is hit as fresh allegations follow apologyhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/lawyer-claims-up-to-7000-may-have-had-phones-hacked-2266048.htmlThe phone hacking scandal took another dramatic turn yesterday when a leading lawyer claimed that up to 7,000 people may have had their phone messages intercepted by the News of the World.
As the paper's owner News International was engulfed by a torrent of fresh claims and condemnation, after the paper's public apology for "voicemail interception" in 2004-2006, Charlotte Harris suggested many public figures suing for breach of privacy would not settle quickly or cheaply.
Another lawyer estimated that the total legal bill facing the paper's owner, News International, could reach £40m, double the amount the company is thought to have set aside.
Rod Dadak described the paper's apparent mass hacking of mobile phones as "Rupert Murdoch's Watergate". "It's a black hole," said Mr Dadak, of Lewis Silkin, who acts for potential litigants. "£20m may be substantially too little, it could be double that."(snip)
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend, Ms Harris – who secured publicist Max Clifford's £1m payout for being hacked – said: "What we have at the moment is an apology and an admission, having been working on this for a very long time. We haven't even got near the truth yet."
Phone-hacking scandal could have 7,000 victims, warns stars' lawyer
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Phonehacking-scandal-could-have-7000.6749530.jp