Trinity Mirror ups provisions to cover phone hacking claims and prints apology to victims

The publisher of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror has increased the money it as set aside to cover the cost of phone hacking claims by £8 million and printed an open apology to the victims of the scandal.

Trinity Mirror said in a statement that as civil claims brought by individuals whose voicemails had been unlawfully accessed progressed, it had "become evident that the cost of resolving these claims will be higher than previously envisaged."

The company and its subsidiaries have already settled with celebrities like Eastenders actress Jessie Wallace and former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson, as well as David and Victoria Beckham's former nanny Abbie Gibson.

The total it has provisioned for the phone hacking cases now stands at £12 million.

"The Company continues to co-operate with the Metropolitan Police Service in their ongoing investigations and it takes all allegations seriously," the company said.

In its apology, which will be reprinted in the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People this weekend, Trinity Mirror said using the information gleaned from the voicemails was "an unacceptable intrusion" into private lives.

"It was unlawful and should never have happened, and fell far below the standards our readers expect and deserve.

"We are taking this opportunity to give every victim a sincere apology for what happened."

Trinity Mirror also gave guidance for its full-year results, saying that adjusted profits will be marginally ahead of forecasts.

Its annual results will be announced on March 2.