Gazza blames 'horrific' hacking for his alcoholism

Former England international Paul Gascoigne, popularly known as Gazza, has claimed that he had to change his phone five or six times a month, insisting that it was having his phones hacked that contributed towards his alcoholism.

Gazza started his evidence at the hearing in London High Court to determine what compensation should be paid by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in eight representative cases by telling Justice Mann that he was fuming.

Gazza claimed that he repeatedly changed his mobile because he knew there was something going on with it, Sky News reported.

An emotional Gazza claimed that he knew he was getting hacked by the Mirror, adding that this continued for ages. He said that phone calls to his father and family were getting blocked so he changed his mobile, insisting that it happened again so he kept on changing mobiles, five or six times a month.

On being questioned by barrister David Sherborne, who represents victims of hacking and who has said the practice was rife at all three of the group's national titles by mid-1999, Gascoigne said that, to start with, the experience was so scary.

The former England midfielder, who is complaining about 18 articles - all accepted to have been the product of illegal activity - said that he couldn't speak to anybody, adding that he was scared to speak to anybody including his parents, family and kids, insisting that it was just horrendous.

And, linking it to his booze addiction, Gazza claimed that people can't understand why he became an alcoholic.

Gazza was informed that his evidence was going unchallenged and he would not face cross-examination by Matthew Nicklin QC, for MGN. He said that he has waited 15 years to be sat there so he is disgusted.

Gazza said that he would like to trade his mobile phone in for a coffin because he claimed that these guys had ruined his life, insisting that he has no life.