A CO Antrim man involved in hacking telecom giant TalkTalk has secured a trial date in his bid for damages over press coverage of his initial arrest.
Aaron Sterritt (23) is suing three national newspapers for alleged privacy breaches in publishing material while he was still a schoolboy suspect.
His action against the owners of The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph and The Sun was listed for hearing at the High Court in June.
The development came as Sterritt, with an address at Brookfield Gardens in Ahoghill, fights separate attempts to have him extradited to the US to face charges of playing a central role in a scheme to facilitate cyber attacks.
Earlier this week he was arrested by arrangement under a warrant issued by the District of Alaska.
Sterritt is accused of fraud offences between July and December 2017.
Sterritt was released on bail at Belfast County Court after confirming that he did not consent to extradition.
In October 2015 he was arrested as part of a UK-wide investigation into a cyber attack on phone and broadband provider TalkTalk’s database.
Aged 15 at the time, he was interviewed and released on bail without charge at that stage.
However, several newspapers published details about his identity and whereabouts.
Sterritt ultimately pleaded guilty to unauthorised access to computer material.
In February 2018 he was ordered to complete 50 hours community service and write a letter of apology to TalkTalk.
Writs have been issued against The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph and The Sun over publicity surrounding his initial arrest.
Part of the claim for negligence in publishing material which led to Sterritt being identified and subject to vilifying comments were struck out.