Rebekah Vardy “appears to accept” that Coleen Rooney PR stories have been leaked, the court said

Rebekah Vardy “appears to accept” that her PR was the source of leaked stories about Coleen Rooney published in The Sun newspaper, Ms Rooney’s lawyer has claimed in the High Court in London.

rs Rooney accused Ms Vardy of leaking “false stories” about her private life to the media in October 2019 after undergoing months of “stabbing surgery”.

Former England star Wayne Rooney’s wife was nicknamed “Wagatha Christie” when she publicly claimed her fellow footballer’s wife shared fake stories she posted on her personal Instagram account with the newspaper.

Ms Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, denies the allegations and is suing Ms Rooney for defamation.

Ms Rooney’s lawyers previously alleged Ms Vardy disclosed information to The Sun, either directly or through her friend and agent Caroline Watt, “at her direction or with her knowing consent”.

On Friday, David Sherborne claimed for Ms Rooney that Ms Vardy believes Ms Watt may have been the source of the stories in new testimony presented on Wednesday.

In written submissions, Mr Sherborne said Ms Vardy’s new testimony “suggests that Ms Watt was the source of the leak, but claims that (Ms Vardy) ‘did not authorize or condone’ her”.

“It now appears… that she too ‘believes’ that Ms Watt is the source,” added Mr Sherborne.

The lawyer continued: “The collapse of Ms Vardy’s case on the last day was remarkable.

“As of the evening of April 27, 2022, in an abrupt change of position on her case brought forward from the start, Ms Vardy now appears to be accepting Ms Rooney’s case: that Caroline Watt, Ms Vardy’s close friend and PR, was the lead, through the stories The Sun was leaked from the defendants’ private Instagram account through their access through Rebekah Vardy’s account.”

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Mr Sherborne told the court: “It has become undeniably obvious that Ms Watt is the source and Ms Vardy says faithfully, ‘It wasn’t me, I didn’t realize it and I knew nothing about what was going on’.”

However, Hugh Tomlinson QC, representing Ms Vardy, told the court that his client’s new testimony contained “no change in the case brought”.

He later added: “Mr Sherborne might think this is an evil conspiracy to deceive his client and the court.

“We just don’t know what the true position is regarding Ms Watt.

“She doesn’t communicate with anyone.

“She does not communicate with anyone on our side and we do not know what her position is.”

In his written arguments, Mr Tomlinson said there had been “important developments” since Ms Vardy made her first written statement, but did not explain what they were.

He continued: “These are all matters relevant to the proceedings and the issues that the court needs to resolve.

“It is appropriate that the Court and the Defendant have the Plaintiff’s evidence of these new developments in further testimony in order to clarify the Plaintiff’s position.

“These developments are very new.

“They were totally unexpected and beyond the plaintiff’s control … it took her time to process and take into account the new information.”

Ms Watt was mentioned at an earlier hearing after the High Court in London heard that WhatsApp messages between Ms Vardy and Ms Watt had been disclosed.

Texts heard in court included Ms Vardy, who referred to someone whose identity is disputed as a “nasty bitch”.

Ms Watt was expected to testify at the forthcoming trial, but the High Court was told she was “unfit” to testify orally at a hearing earlier this month.

Friday’s hearing will include offers from Ms Rooney’s lawyers for information from News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun newspaper.

Mr Tomlinson said Ms Vardy “partially” supported that motion, adding: “We have nothing to hide.”

The hearing before Ms Justice Steyn is due to end on Friday afternoon, with a verdict expected at a later date.