Former England and Newcastle United football manager Kevin Keegan has been paid substantial compensation by Mirror Group Newspapers after the company admitted hacking his phone.
Mr Keegan is represented by Setfords London lawyer John Newell.
The hacking took place between 1999 and 2010 and was carried out by the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror.
In the High Court today Mr Keegan also received a public apology from Mirror Group Newspapers, which has also agreed to pay his costs. The company has undertaken not to intercept Mr Keegan’s voicemail messages. The amount of compensation was undisclosed.
In a statement released to the media, John Newell, of Setfords London, said: “When Kevin was contacted by the Met Police and informed that his mobile phone had been routinely hacked and that his personal information had been obtained unlawfully, he was shocked and appalled. Discovering that his private communications with his family, friends and associates had been unlawfully accessed was a devastating intrusion.
“The full extent of the hacking and the impact this has had on Kevin’s personal and professional relationships, may never be known. But Kevin is pleased that Mirror Group have acknowledged their wrongdoing and publicly apologised. He feels vindicated and believes that justice has been done.”
“Kevin would like to thank his legal team – John Newell at Setfords London, David Sherborne and Nicholas Randall QC.”
The lawyer acting on behalf of Mirror Group Newspapers, Alex Wilson, told the High Court: “MGN is here today, through me, to offer its sincere apologies to Mr Keegan for the damage and distress caused by the interception of his voicemail messages and other unlawful information gathering activities over a decade ago.”
Mr Keegan enjoyed a successful career as a player for clubs including Liverpool before going on to manage Newcastle United, Fulham and Manchester City. He managed England between 1999 and 2000. Mr Keegan was twice named European Footballer of the Year (awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1978 and 1979).
To read the Statement to the Open Court, read at the High Court today, please follow this link.
