News media phone hacking scandal evidence seized from Mulcaire back in August 2006. By mid-year, five people were arrested, including senior journalists from "News of the World". In June 2011, the long-ignored issue of computer hacking was addressed by the launching of . Having failed thus far to put the phone hacking issue to rest, News International's law firm, Hickman & Rose, now hired former Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald to review the emails that News International executives had used as the basis of their claim that no one at "News of the World" but Clive Goodman had been involved in phone hacking. Macdonald
News media phone hacking scandal and politicians filed for breach of privacy against News of the World alone. As of early October 2011, there were reportedly 63 civil suits directed at News International relating to the phone hacking scandal. Noting that there might be many more cases initiated over phone hacking, high court judge Mr Justice Vos selected test cases that "would enable him to decide the damages that were properly payable across a range of alleged factual situations, and make it possible for other cases to be resolved without the need for further hearings." He added that the trial would cover the issues of