More phone-hacking suits filed vs Murdoch’s British newspaper group

In this Oct. 14, 2011 file photo, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch delivers a keynote address at the National Summit on Education Reform in San Francisco. Sky News said in a statement Thursday, April 5, 2012 that the channel twice authorized its reporters to hack into computers, a potentially embarrassing revelation that could further dent the media tycoon's hope of acquiring full control over satellite broadcaster BSkyB. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

LONDON — Forty-six new phone-hacking lawsuits have been filed against Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper group, with footballers Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs among the latest to sue, a court heard Friday.

The cases bring to more than 100 the total number due to be heard at the High Court in London next February unless there is a settlement with News International, part of media baron Murdoch’s US-based News Corp. empire.

Lawyer Hugh Tomlinson also told judge Geoffrey Vos that police had now contacted 1,174 likely victims of phone hacking – a significant rise from the estimated 800 that Scotland Yard said it had identified in December.

After the hearing, a law firm issued a list of those who have filed claims in the latest round of litigation, including Manchester United players Rooney and Giggs.

They also included Emma Noble, the former daughter in law of ex-prime minister John Major, singer James Blunt and footballers Peter Crouch, Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas.

Some names in the list were already known about, such as Cherie Blair, the wife of another former prime minister Tony Blair.

Revelations that Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid illegally accessed the voicemails of a murdered schoolgirl, as well as dozens of celebrities, politicians and crime victims, forced him to close the paper last July.

The scandal has already cost News International more than £79 million ($125 million, 96 million euros), company figures revealed this month.

The company has settled with dozens of victims, including British actor Jude Law, actress Sienna Miller, footballer Ashley Cole and former deputy prime minister John Prescott.

Judge Vos meanwhile warned the claimants’ lawyers to draw up sensible estimates of costs after hearing that £10 million ($16 million, 12 million euros) had so far been incurred in individual cases.

He added that it was “unbelievable” that 55 different firms of solicitors were representing 100 claimants.