Courts Wagatha
(Picture: PA Archive)Coleen Rooney has lost a bid to bring a legal claim against Rebekah Vardy’s agent in their ‘Wagatha Christie’ High Court feud.
The two WAGs are at war over Rooney’s inflammatory 2019 accusation that Vardy had been leaking stories about her to the media.
Rooney set up a homemade sting operation – earning her the nickname ‘Wagatha Christie’ – which culminated in her public conclusion “It’s…….Rebekah Vardy’s account”.
The respective wives of Derby manager Wayne Rooney and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy are due to face off later this year in an explosive libel trial.
Rooney, 35, had wanted to add Vardy’s agent and close friend, Caroline Watt, to the case, claiming misuse of her personal information. But that bid was today refused by Mrs Justice Steyn.
In pre-trial disclosure of texts and messages, it emerged that Ms Watt had been in close contact with Vardy at the time of the October 2019 social media post at the heart of the case.
It is said Ms Watt admitted in messages that she had leaked information about Rooney to the media, and she is also accused of helping Vardy to “concoct” an alleged false defence.
Rooney’s barrister David Sherborne had argued that if Mrs Vardy wins her claim for libel on the basis that she was not the person who leaked the information, then Rooney will be left “without vindication” unless she is able to bring the claim against Ms Watt as part of the same case.
Mrs Vardy’s lawyers opposed the application to add the claim against Ms Watt to the libel case.
Rooney’s legal team argued that the May trial would only need to be delayed by two months, if Ms Watt was added to the proceedings as a party.
In a ruling this afternoon, the judge refused Rooney’s bid, saying: “If I were to grant permission, it is inevitable that the trial would be delayed far longer than the two month period suggested by the defendant.”
She said a delay of up to a year would happen, concluding that would be unfair on Vardy.
Rooney was ordered to pay £65,000 of the costs of Ms Watt’s legal team in defending the application, and must also cover 20 per cent of Vardy’s legal costs from this hearing.
The judge also rejected a series of application for the disclosure of more text messages and social media messages.
The judge did agree to some extra limited disclosure of messages, as well as an approach to Instagram for further potential evidence.
The blockbuster libel trial is now due to take place in May, with a final preliminary clash in April.
