Court of Appeal Refuses MGN Permission To Appeal The Limitation Judgments In The Mirror Hacking Litigation

On 27 May and 7 June 2022, the Managing Judge of the MNHL, Mr Justice Fancourt, handed down a judgment and supplemental judgment where, apart from one element of the claims, he refused MGN’s summary judgment applications on limitation grounds ruling that the issues should be left for determination at trial in May next year.

In July of this year, MGN applied to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal this decision on numerous grounds. However on Thursday 11 August 2022, Lady Justice Andrews refused MGN permission to appeal, finding that there was no prospect of success for any of the grounds advanced by MGN and no other compelling reason why permission should be given.

There are at present 99 live claims on the Mirror Group Register with individual claimants represented by a number of firms including; Thomson Heath & Associates, Charles Russell Speechlys, Clintons, DAC Beachcroft, Hamlins LLP, Harbottle and Lewis, Russells, Shoosmiths and Taylor Hampton.

James Heath, of Thomson Heath & Associates is Lead Solicitor for the Claimant Group. The next trial against MGN is listed to be heard for 6 weeks starting in May 2023.