ACTOR Jude Law headed a list of 37 people from all walks of life who settled their damages cases arising from the phone-hacking scandal.
The star's compensation of £130,000 was the biggest of 15 awards disclosed at London's High Court as Mr Justice Vos listened to 18 agreed statements being read out to a packed courtroom.
Three of the damages awards – including that made to footballer Ashley Cole – were not made public, but the tally, excluding those, reached a total of £645,000.
A claim lodged by former MP George Galloway has also been settled, although no further details were revealed.
In each case, Michael Silverleaf, QC, for News International subsidiary News Group News-papers (NGN), publisher of the defunct News of the World, expressed its "sincere apologies" for the damage and distress caused.
The developments mean that most of the 60 claims launched against NGN have been settled, with the company facing a bill for damages and costs running into millions. It is expected that more statements will follow.
A hearing has been set for February 13 to deal with 10 as yet unsettled cases, including that of singer Charlotte Church, and provide a compensation framework for cases that do not settle as well as any yet to be brought. Mr Justice Vos, who will try the case, has described it as one "of great public importance".
Gavin Millar, QC, for private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, emphasised yesterday that Mulcaire, who is also being sued for breach of confidence and misuse of private information, was not involved in agreeing the wording of the statements and was not a party to them.
Reading a statement on Jude Law's behalf, Hugh Tomlinson, QC, said the effect of the "sustained campaign of surveillance, pursuit and harassment", as well as the publication of intrusive and private information, had been "profound". Law himself later hit out at the "appalling" behaviour of the newspaper.
Law's personal assistant Ben Jackson was awarded £40,000.
Lord Prescott, who received £40,000, said: "Today's court decision at long last brings clarity, apology and compensation for the years of hacking into my telephone messages by Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers."
MP Chris Bryant, who received £30,000, told Radio 4's World at One programme: "The worst of it is you start blaming the people who are closest to you, your family members, you think they must have been paid money or something like that."
After it was announced that the case brought by Sara Payne, mother of murdered Sarah Payne, had settled, her friend Shy Keenan said she was just "sincerely glad" it was all over and wanted to concentrate on her stroke recovery and on building a free public service information website for those victimised by paedophile crimes.
It is understood that the case brought by former England footballer Paul Gascoigne is still in the process of settling.
News International has previously confirmed settlements with the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Gordon Taylor, publicist Max Clifford, TalkSport presenter Andy Gray and interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
Actress Sienna Miller settled her privacy and harassment claim for £100,000 in June last year.
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