WAGS AT WAR: THE FACE-OFF
Coleen Rooney & Rebekah Vardy’s 11th-hr libel meet
COLEEN Rooney is to come face-to-face with rival WAG Rebekah Vardy in a last-ditch attempt to resolve their dispute.
Both sides are pushing towards a mediation date in the first week of February to agree a settlement and avoid a full trial in the summer. Vardy, 38, is suing Rooney for libel over Coleen’s claims Rebekah leaked stories about her. A High Court judge previously gave both sides a deadline of February 8 to come to some agreement and swerve a trial. A legal expert said: “Pencilling in the first week of February – just days before the deadline – shows just how close to the wire things have got. This is the last chance for both women to avoid what would doubtless be a messy and costly trial.” The meeting could be a “hybrid” one, partly by video-link and partly in person. Rooney, 34, and Vardy, who is appearing in Dancing on Ice, will be expected to take part. The first round of mediation last year ended with the women “totally wide-apart”. It’s believed both sides are optimistic an agreement may be struck although time is running out. Rebekah, wife of Leicester ace Jamie, said last year: “The new year could potentially see a resolution between us. I’m pretty sure the public are sick of reading about it.” Last month, Mr Justice Warby ordered Rooney, whose husband Wayne joined Derby County last year, to pay Vardy’s £22,913.50 legal costs from the first round of their High Court battle. The row saw Rooney dubbed Wagatha Christie after she turned detective to try to uncover who was leaking her social media updates to a newspaper.
This is last chance for both women to avoid a costly trial LEGAL EXPERT ON THE ROONEY/VARDY SUMMIT