By Matthew Pascall, Legal Director – Head of Commercial
Estimated Reading Time – 2 minutes 43 seconds
On 24 January 2025, the historic settlement in the long-running phone hacking litigation against News Group Newspapers (NGN) captured widespread media attention and made the headlines everywhere. The case, which saw Lord Tom Watson and the Duke of Sussex receive a settlement, including an apology, from NGN, was a significant moment in the battle for privacy rights and accountability in the media. As the leading provider of after-the-event (ATE) insurance for many of the claimants involved in this litigation, Temple extends its congratulations to the legal teams who secured this outcome, while reflecting on the pivotal role our insurance has played in facilitating justice.
This settlement represents a significant milestone in a case that has spanned over a decade, beginning with the first revelations of phone hacking in 2005. The legal battle that followed was monumental, with numerous victims seeking redress for unlawful surveillance by journalists and media companies.
For many, taking on powerful organisations such as NGN and MGN (Mirror Group Newspapers) was a daunting prospect – without the right financial backing, many would have been unable to pursue their claims. This is where Temple’s ATE insurance and disbursement funding has been essential in helping claimants secure settlements and hold two of the largest media organisations in the UK to account.
Following the initial revelations and the subsequent conviction of a small number of people involved in phone hacking, a series of high-profile claims emerged revealing wide-spread phone hacking on a much larger scale, blagging and other unlawful information gathering. It was only through the tireless work of the legal teams and the continued support of ATE insurers such as Temple that the claimants were able to achieve the justice they deserved.
The most important element of the apology secured by Lord Watson and Prince Harry was an admission by NGN for the first time that private investigators hired by journalists at The Sun had engaged in unlawful activities. NGN had persistently denied that this had been the case for many years, whilst making highly qualified admissions that some stories that had appeared in the News of the World were attributable to a limited amount of unlawful activity by a small number of PIs working for a handful of journalists.
This settlement is a reflection of the perseverance, resilience and unwavering commitment of all those involved in the case.
Looking back on the last decade, Temple Legal Protection’s involvement in media law litigation has been driven by our deep commitment to ensuring fairness and accountability. In addition to the support we have provided and continue to provide to those pursuing phone hacking and other unlawful information gathering claims against UK newspaper publishers, we have supported some of the most high-profile and important defamation claims heard in this country, empowering claimants to pursue their cases without fear of financial ruin.
As we look to the future, Temple remains steadfast in our mission to support those seeking justice in this area of law. We are proud to have played a part in this historic settlement and to continue offering our expertise and insurance solutions to those facing similar challenges.
To find out more about how we can assist you with your cases, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – either call us on 01483 577877 or send an email to
Matthew Pascall
Legal Director – Head of Commercial
Matthew Pascall
Matthew was called to the Bar in 1984 and joined Guildford Chambers two years later. Spending more than 30 years in practice there, he was listed as a Legal 500 Tier One barrister.
He joined the commercial team at Temple Legal Protection as Senior Underwriting Manager in 2017.
Matthew was appointed to Temple’s Board in December 2022 as Legal Director and Head of Commercial.
His knowledge of the commercial legal sector and litigation practice is invaluable to the business and our clients, providing specialist experience to lead the commercial litigation insurance team.
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