Government spent at least $140,000 in its doomed court bid to gag the media publishing further revelations from the Bermuda Housing Corporation police files, the House of Assembly heard yesterday.

However it seems highly unlikely that figure included the legal costs awarded to the other side meaning the bill to the taxpayer could soar.

Junior Justice Minister Michael Scott said Government had spent $26,539 on the Supreme Court hearing, $31,074 on the Appeals Court hearing and $82,990 on the Privy Council hearing — all of which it lost.

The information, revealed in parliamentary questions to the House, led Shadow Attorney General Mark Pettingill to question whether it included legal costs to the other side but Mr. Scott said he didn't know and would find out.

A report in yesterday's Royal Gazette detailing the annual report of Bermuda Press Holdings (BHP) — publishers of The Royal Gazette — revealed an estimated $750,000 of taxpayer's money and BPH money was spent on the legal case.