Vardy wins first round in battle
REBEKAH VARDY has won the first round of her libel battle against Coleen Rooney after she was accused of leaking stories about Mrs Rooney to the media.
Mrs Rooney, 34, accused Mrs Vardy, 38, of leaking “false stories” about her last year after a “sting operation” which saw her dubbed “Wagatha Christie”.
The wife of former England star Wayne Rooney claimed fellow footballer’s wife Mrs Vardy shared fake stories she had posted on her personal Instagram account with The Sun, which she denies.
Yesterday, the High Court ruled the post “clearly identified” her as being “guilty of the serious and consistent breach of trust”.
Mrs Rooney wrote on Instagram and Twitter: “I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them.
“It’s ................ Rebekah Vardy’s account.”
Mrs Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, denies the accusations and is suing Mrs Rooney for damages for libel.
Mr Justice Warby ruled the “natural and ordinary” meaning of Mrs Rooney’s posts was that Mrs Vardy had “regularly and frequently abused her status as a trusted follower of Ms Rooney’s personal Instagram account by secretly informing The Sun newspaper of Ms Rooney’s private posts”.
David Sherborne, representing Mrs Rooney, said: “Mrs Rooney intends to defend these words as true in whatever meaning.”
The court heard that both Mrs Vardy and Mrs Rooney had agreed for a “stay” of proceedings until February so there could be a final attempt to resolve the matter without the need for a full trial.