A number of high-profile figures and celebrities have settled claims against News Group Newspapers (NGN) over phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World. 

Lawyers representing 15 high-profile figures, including Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri, actor Sean Bean, and cricketer Shane Warne, read statements to Mr Justice Fancourt at the High Court on Wednesday.

In a statement read on behalf of Ms Spiteri, her solicitor Callum Galbraith told the court she was an “obvious person for the press to target”, both as a result of her success with Texas and her friendship with a number of people in the public eye, including members of Paul McCartney’s family.

He said: “Articles published reported on matters relating to, for example, Ms Spiteri’s separation from her then long-term partner (a private matter which she claimed was not then known to her close family), her home, her whereabouts and the birth of her daughter.

“Ms Spiteri believes that the publication of the articles had a harmful effect on her private and family life and is appalled she will never regain control of her private information.”

Mr Spiteri had become suspicious of who was providing confidential information to the press and said the articles “generated distrust” which impacted her relationships.

News Group Newspapers has since apologised.

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Mr Galbraith told the court that no admission of liability was made by NGN in relation to The Sun newspaper.

It follows a similar move by Ronan Keating in July, who accepted “substantial damages” after claiming his voicemail messages had been intercepted by NGN journalists between 1996 and 2011.

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