Paul Gascoigne told the High Court on Wednesday that phone-hacking was linked to his alcoholism . The 47-year-old former England star started his evidence at the hearing in London to determine what compensation should be paid by Mirror Group Newspapers ( MGN ) in eight representative cases by telling Mr Justice Mann that he was 'fuming ' . Smartly dressed in a dark grey suit and pink-and-white open-necked striped shirt and accompanied by former Tottenham team-mate Gary Mabbutt , he said he changed his mobile because he knew there was something going on with it . Former footballers Gary Mabbutt ( second left ) and Paul Gascoigne ( second right ) arrive at the High Court . His voice hoarse and shaking with emotion , he said : ' I knew I was getting hacked by the Mirror . This continued for ages . Phone calls to my father and family were getting blocked so I changed my mobile . It happened again so I kept on changing mobiles , five or six times a month . ' Questioned by David Sherborne , who has said hacking was rife at all three of the group 's national titles by mid-1999 , he said that , to start with , the experience was 'so scary ' . Gascoigne , who is complaining about 18 articles - all accepted to have been the product of illegal activity - said : ' I could n't speak to anybody , I was scared to speak to anybody ... my parents , my family and kids , it was just horrendous . 'And people ca n't understand why I became an alcoholic . ' Gascoigne went on : 'At the time I was going through a bad time because I knew I was getting hacked , 110 per cent . Of course ( people ) would n't believe it - my family and Mr McKeown ( therapist Johnny McKeown ) . Gascoigne ( right ) gave evidence at a hearing to decide the amount of compensation to be awarded . Gascoigne claimed the phone hacking 'ruined his life ' as he waits for compensation to be determined . 'As I was speaking to him on the phone , it clicked again . He told me I was paranoid , I was going through a mental disorder . ' I said `` No , there 's f***-all wrong with me '' . I knew , I knew . I put the phone down ... I 've never told a lie , nothing to lie about , nothing . 'Disgusting . Crap . ' After speaking briefly , Gascoigne was told he would not face cross-examination by Matthew Nicklin QC , for MGN , and his evidence was going unchallenged . He replied : ' I have waited 15 years to be sat here so I am disgusted , really . ' I would like to trade my mobile phone in for a coffin because these guys have ruined my life . I have no life . ' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .
Paul Gascoigne was giving evidence at a compensation hearing . Mirror Group Newspapers face a pay out over phone hacking . Gazza said he knew his phone was being hacked . Comment: