VICTIMS: Politicians and stars ‘caught in the trap’

The list of those targeted in News of the World operations to hack mobile phones and purchase confidential information is a wide cross-section from the worlds of politics and showbusiness, containing many famous names.

But Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, whose court action against News Group Newspapers is at the centre of today's disclosures, is a much less well known public figure.

A former professional footballer, he has headed the PFA for many years and is reputed to be the highest-paid union leader in the country. However, he is likely to have been targeted because of his knowledge of top transfer deals, particularly the use of illicit payments, and the private lives of players.

Mr Taylor was eventually awarded more than £400,000 in damages to settle his action against the News of the World, in return for an agreement not to discuss the case.

The mobile phone of Max Clifford, the PR agent who has been the source of a number of News of the World stories in the past, was another on the list. Since Clifford now claims to spend most of his time keeping stories out of the media, the News of the World would have had an interest in stories he was not attempting to sell them. But Clifford had broken off contact with the paper over their handling of stories involving one of his clients, Kerry Katona. The late Jade Goody was another name on the list.

Supermodel Elle MacPherson may have been chosen because of her socialite connections or relationship with financier Arpad Busson, who is now with Hollywood star Uma Thurman. Simon Hughes, the Lib Dem MP, has faced a number of questions about his sex life.

John Prescott, targeted in 2006, was then deputy prime minister and the subject of a number of stories — about his son's business links, his visit to Texan businessman Philip Anschutz when he was bidding for a casino licence and his two-year affair with his secretary, Tracey Temple.

Gywneth Paltrow, the actress and wife of Coldplay singer Chris Martin, is also a friend of Madonna. Boris Johnson, then a Tory MP, would have been of interest because of a reported ex-marital affair.

MP Tessa Jowell was also on the list, possibly because of her husband's business links with Silvio Berlusconi, who was then being investigated by Italian authorities.

In the related case involving private investigator Steve Whittamore, journalists from the News of the World and the Sun were said to have requested information from a series of official computers, including police records, the DVLA, British Telecom and the Inland Revenue in breach of the Data Protection Act.

Those named by the Guardian as having had their British Telecom records disclosed in order to obtain ex-directory numbers or addresses include TV chef Nigella Lawson, actors Patsy Kensit and Jude Law and his former wife, Sadie Frost, model and television presenter Lisa Snowdon, a former girlfriend of actor George Clooney, broadcasters Anne Robinson and Vanessa Feltz and comedian Lenny Henry.