Coleen and Wayne Rooney are all smiles as they leave court

You only grin when you’re winning! Coleen and Wayne Rooney are all smiles as they leave court after Jamie and Rebekah Vardy stormed out of Wagatha Christie trial EARLY after he accused Wayne of lying

  • Coleen Rooney has described messages between Rebekah Vardy and her agent about her as ‘just evil’
  • Coleen accused Rebekah of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life after months-long ‘sting operation’
  • Rebekah denies the allegations and has sued Coleen over the ‘untrue and unjustified defamatory attack’
  • * MailOnline’s liveblog on the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial can be followed throughout today by clicking HERE * 

Coleen and Wayne Rooney were all smiles as they left the High Court today as the bombshell Wagatha Christie libel trial saw Jamie Vardy leave court early, having accused his former teammate of lying.

The Rooneys appeared in good spirits in contrast to the Vardys who had stormed out early from the trial which entered its sixth day this morning. 

Jamie Vardy was pictured leaving court with his wife Rebekah, after he told the court this afternoon that Wayne Rooney was ‘talking nonsense’ during the £3million showdown.

In a witness statement, former England captain Rooney claimed he was asked by a member of Football Association staff to take Vardy to task over Rebekah’s media antics during the Euro 2016 football tournament.

Giving evidence today, Rooney said he was pulled aside by then England manager Roy Hodgson and his assistant Gary Neville and asked to raise the ‘awkward’ issue with Vardy over concerns that Rebekah was ‘causing problems and distractions’ for the team in France.

However, Vardy claimed that the conversation with him never happened and sensationally accused Rooney of talking ‘nonsense’ this afternoon. 

When told that Vardy denied he was asked to get Rebekah to ‘calm down’, Rooney told the High Court: ‘I’m sat here on oath. I 100 per cent spoke to Mr Vardy. If he wants to speak that and relay that back to his wife that’s entirely his business.’ 

In a statement outside court, the Leicester City player’s representatives said: ‘Wayne is talking nonsense. He must be confused because he never spoke to me about issues concerning Becky’s media work at Euro 2016. There was nothing to speak about, I know this because I discuss everything with Becky.’

Shortly after issuing the statement, Rebekah and Vardy were seen leaving the court early during a short mid-afternoon break. The reason is believed to be because Rebecca was feeling ill – and one of Rebekah’s barristers, Sarah Mansouri, apologised to Mrs Justice Steyn for their absence for the rest of the day, saying they meant ‘no disrespect’.

It comes as the court heard that messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt which have never been found were ‘manually deleted’.

All smiles: Coleen and Wayne Rooney leave the High Court in London where the £3million libel trial entered day six

The couple seemed in good spirits after Wayne told the court he had spoken to teammate Jamie Vardy about his wife’s antics

Coleen and Wayne Rooney leaves court as the high-profile libel battle between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney continues

Rooney (pictured with Coleen) said he was pulled aside at the Euro 2016 and asked to speak to Vardy about Rebekah’s antics

In a viral social media post in October 2019, Wayne’s wife Coleen Rooney, 36, revealed that she had carried out a ‘sting operation’ and accused Vardy’s wife Rebekah, 40, of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life to the press. Rebekah denies leaking stories to the media and is suing Coleen for libel, while Coleen is defending the claim on the basis her post was ‘substantially true’.

The High Court has heard Rebekah’s claim that Vardy was never given such a message by Rooney – and she even said that she had raised the matter with Rooney during one of her FaceTime conversations with Vardy at Euro 2016.

However, Rooney said he did not recall being next to Vardy when he was having a conversation with Rebekah, in which Rooney is alleged to have denied the conversation took place. And Rooney added that he did not know whether Vardy had told his wife that Hodgson had asked Rooney to speak to Vardy about her.

Rooney said: ‘They asked me to, as captain, would I be able to speak to Mr Vardy on issues regarding his wife and I think we all knew we spoke about it, it was an awkward subject.’ 

Rebekah’s lawyer Hugh Tomlinson QC asked him: ‘Ask his wife to calm down – she wasn’t dancing on tables?’ Rooney said: ‘No, I wasn’t aware of that. It was a lot of negativity amongst a lot of media coverage which as a group of players and as the manager of England he didn’t want that to happen, so he asked would I be able to speak to Jamie and I went and done so.’

Among the issues was the idea Rebekah had ‘some kind of column in The Sun’, the court heard. Rooney added: ‘I think there was a few things at the time with Rebekah which the leaders of the team asked me to speak to Jamie about. I was at the understanding Rebekah had a column in The Sun newspaper and as I state… I obviously had better things on my mind. It was obviously awkward for me.’

Rooney added that there had been negative media coverage, saying: ‘I was asked to speak to Mr Vardy by the England manager and I carried out that instruction. It was an awkward situation for me and I’m sure it was an awkward situation for Mr Vardy, but I felt it was in the best interests of the team.’

Among the other key portions of evidence given at the Royal Courts of Justice during today’s hearing: 

  • Wayne Rooney said Rebekah Vardy spent so much time speaking to Jamie Vardy on FaceTime during Euro 2016 preparations that it was like she was ‘almost there with the team’;
  • Rebekah Vardy referred to Rooney’s cousin Claire Rooney as ‘Wayne’s chavvy sister’ in messages to her agent Caroline Watt;
  • Rooney’s manager Paul Stretford also gave evidence today and said Rooney raised the issue of his wife facing leaks of her information in 2017;
  • Coleen posted 50 stories on her private Instagram during her sting operation over a two month period between August 15 and October 2, 2019, the court heard 

Rebekah Vardy and Jamie Vardy leave the Royal Courts of Justice in London during an afternoon break today

Rebekah Vardy and Jamie Vardy leave the Royal Courts of Justice in London this afternoon 

Rebekah Vardy and her husband, Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy, leave the Royal Courts of Justice in London today

A sketch by court artist Priscilla Coleman of (from left), Coleen Rooney,  Rebecca Vardy and Jamie Vardy in court today

Texts between Caroline Watt and Rebekah Vardy in which they discuss Coleen unfollowing Rebekah and footballer Danny Drinkwater’s arrest for drink-driving 

Wayne Rooney (left) and Jamie Vardy (right) speak during the England match against Portugal at Wembley on June 2, 2016

Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy pictured at the England v Wales football game at the 2016 Euros

Coleen Rooney arrives with her husband Wayne Rooney at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the libel trial this morning

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

It comes as Jamie Vardy today made his first appearance at the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial as he joined his wife Rebekah to hear former England teammate Rooney give evidence in the £3million libel case against Coleen.

Rooney, 36, spoke at the Royal Courts of Justice one day after his wife Coleen also gave evidence and described messages between Rebekah and her agent about her as ‘just evil’.

Coleen, also 36, has accused Rebekah, 40, of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life in October 2019 after she said she carried out a months-long ‘sting operation’ – and the bombshell trial is now in its final few days.

Rebekah denies the allegations and has sued Coleen over the ‘untrue and unjustified defamatory attack’, with the last of the defence witnesses – including Rooney and his cousin Claire Rooney – giving evidence today.  

Coleen posted 50 stories on her private Instagram account during her sting operation over a two month period between August 15 and October 2, 2019, the court heard today. 

The fake stories are said to have been seen only by Rebekah Vardy’s account.

They included two posts in August 2019 claiming firstly that Coleen’s mum was looking after her as she was having trouble with her tonsils.

The following day she posted a second message saying: ‘My tonsils are gone.’

The hearing was told that Rebekah’s ‘slow internet connection’ may have led to vital data being lost.

She claimed WhatsApp messages she exchanged with Caroline Watt were lost when her computer crashed as she tried to export the data.

The court heard Rebekah explained that when she tried to ‘upload the media’ contained in the chats: ‘My computer totally crashed and my mobile phone turned off as well.’

When she switched them back on the data was gone.

Sara Mansoori QC, for Rebekah, asked Mr Blackband if ‘a malfunction’ was a possibility for the lost data as opposed to ‘manual deletion’.

Mr Blackband said: ‘I cannot see how that’s possible based on the information I have been provided with the only explanation I can conclude is manual deletion.’ 

Mr Blackband said he had been unable to examine the laptop as it was ‘no longer available’. He said he had not been given an explanation as to why it was unavailable.

Coleen’s loss of WhatsApp messages happened after she changed her phone, the hearing was told. 

In the first five days of the trial, which has seen a tearful Rebekah being subject to a gruelling cross-examination, Leicester City striker Vardy’s absence was noted by many observers. In contrast, Coleen’s husband Rooney has been ever present, sitting at the front of the court to accompany his wife as she too gave evidence. 

Rebekah Vardy and Jamie Vardy leave the Royal Courts of Justice in London during an afternoon break today

Rebekah Vardy and her husband, Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy, leave the Royal Courts of Justice in London today

A sketch by court artist Elizabeth Cook of Jamie and Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney listening as Hugh Tomlinson QC questions Wayne Rooney as he gives evidence at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London today 

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy for the trial to continue at the court in London this morning

Happier times: Rebekah and Coleen celebrating England’s win against Wales at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in France in 2016

The court had previously heard Rebekah sat behind Coleen to ‘maximise media attention’ and it led to ‘a commotion’ with members of Rebekah’s party and ended up causing security concerns

Rebekah Vardy and Jamie Vardy arrive hand-in-hand at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the trial to continue today

A sketch by court artist Elizabeth Cook of Wayne Rooney giving evidence at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London today

Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as he accompanied his wife Coleen 

A sketch by court artist Julia Quenzler of Wayne Rooney at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today


Coleen Rooney walks into the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning wearing a foot brace after a fall earlier this year

Rebekah Vardy arrives hand-in-hand with her husband Jamie Vardy at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning 

England manager Roy Hodgson (left) talks to Jamie Vardy (second left) as Wayne Rooney (second right) watches on during a training session at Stade de Bourgognes in Chantilly during the Euro 2016 tournament in France

Wayne Rooney vs Jamie Vardy: Scandals, wealth and football 

Wayne Rooney

Estimated worth: £100million

Current team: Derby County (manager)

Number of caps for England: 119

Wives: 1 (Coleen Rooney)

Children: 4

Scandals:

– Drink-driving conviction (2017) – Rooney was arrested Wilmslow by Cheshire police for drink-driving. He pleaded guilty and was fined £170 by the court and banned from driving for two years. Rooney was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order. Everton then fined him two weeks’ wages, in the region of £300,000.

– Intoxication and profanity arrest (2018-19) – Rooney was arrested at Washington Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County, Virginia for drunkenness and swearing. He was charged with public intoxication and use of profanity in public. Rooney was fined $25 and had to pay $91 in costs before being released without bail on a personal recognizance bond.

– Infidelity claims – In 2004, Rooney paid for sex with a sex worker and gave her his autograph as a ‘souvenir’. A month later, he was said to have slept with another woman at brothel. He owned up to his mistakes and said he regretted it ‘deeply’. In August 2010, it was claimed that Rooney paid Helen Wood £1,000 for a threesome with her and Jennifer Thompson in a Manchester hotel while Coleen was pregnant. It was reported his solicitors unsuccessfully tried to fight the allegations when they first surfaced.

Jamie Vardy

Estimated worth: £10million

Current team: Leicester City (striker)

Number of caps for England: 26

Wives: 1 (Rebekah Vardy)

Children: 6 (4 with Rebekah, 2 stepchildren from Rebekah’s previous relationships)

Scandals:

– Assault conviction (2007) – Vardy was convicted of assault while at non-league team Stocksbridge Park Steels. He claimed he was defending a deaf friend. Vardy was tagged for six months and had a 12-hour curfew.

– Racism row (2015) – Vardy was filmed racially abusing a fellow gambler at a casino, calling the man ‘Jap’ on three occasions. He apologised for a ‘regrettable error in judgement’, and was fined by Leicester City. Vardy was also told to take diversity awareness training.

 

Shortly before proceedings began this morning, Vardy took his seat on the left hand side of the court alongside his wife, while the Rooneys arrived a few minutes later, with neither man acknowledging the other. Coleen – who wore a black dress – is still wearing a brace on her foot after fracturing it in a fall at home earlier this year.

Today, the court heard that Rebekah referred to Rooney’s cousin Claire Rooney as ‘Wayne’s chavvy sister’ in messages to her agent Caroline Watt. Claire, who was said to be ‘close’ to the couple, told how the pair appeared to suggest that she may be the source of leaks from Coleen’s private Instagram account. 

In a written statement, she said she was provided with an extract of Rebekah’s WhatsApp messages to Ms Watt in February 2019. She said: ‘In that exchange they appear to be discussing the fact that someone else must also be selling stories on Coleen because a story had appeared in The Sun which they say they weren’t responsible for. I can see that Caroline Watt suggests ‘It’s probably someone like Wayne’s chavvy sister’. 

‘Wayne doesn’t have a sister and so I assume that Caroline Watt is referring to me as Wayne’s cousin and because I still have the Rooney surname. I have never met Caroline Watt in my life nor have I ever spoken to her. I am not aware that Coleen has either. I can confirm that I have never leaked information about Coleen or Wayne, or anyone else for that matter, to the press.’

Claire told the court how she had 800 friends and family on her own private Instagram account. Describing the aftermath of Coleen’s ‘Wagatha Christie’ post, she said: ‘She put a couple of posts on her Instagram. I didn’t discuss it with her. I didn’t feel the need to ask her any more questions.’

Rooney’s manager Paul Stretford also gave evidence today and said Rooney raised the issue of his wife facing leaks of her information in 2017. He said: ‘He mentioned Coleen was extremely upset regarding leaks about her private information and she was in a position where she didn’t know who to trust and was extremely upset.’ Mr Stretford said he did not discuss this with Coleen, adding: ‘I took Mr Rooney at his word and we took it from there.’

Mr Stretford, who has worked with the star since he was a teenager and helped Coleen design the couple’s £30million mansion, said he heard no more about it until Coleen’s Wagatha Christie post in 2019. 

In his written statement, Mr Stretford added: ‘From memory, I think the leaks were mentioned to me by Wayne at one stage and he said that she was really upset about it and it was playing with her head because she did not know who she could trust. I did not speak about it in any more detail. I certainly did not discuss who might be responsible and had no discussions with Coleen about any suspicions that she might have had at the time – Rebekah Vardy’s name was certainly never mentioned to me.’

Rebekah’s lawyer Hugh Tomlinson QC also asked Mr Stretford about a notification he received from The Sun, about a story regarding Coleen Rooney and a ‘minor car crash’. He instructed the Rooney’s PR woman Rachel Monk not to give ‘any assistance to The Sun in their enquiries’, in this case.

Mr Stretford said he ‘did not consult’ the Rooneys on how to respond. He said this was because he was already aware of all the information in the incident, which he described as a ‘bump’ which happened about six weeks prior.

Mr Tomlinson asked why he did not tell Ms Monk to ‘tell them the true position’. Mr Stretford said: ‘I didn’t wish to assist The Sun in their quest to stand up a story from wherever they got it from at the time.’

The court has heard Coleen’s claim that the story was based on a post on her private Instagram account where she showed a photo of the damage, accompanied by the caption: ‘RIP Half a Honda’.

The court also heard that Ms Watt was set up to to ‘take the blame’ for leaking stories from Coleen’s Instagram account.

Rebekah Vardy and her husband Jamie Vardy are surrounded by photographers at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today

Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial continues

Coleen Rooney walks past photographers as she arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as the trial continues

Wayne Rooney smiles for photographers as he arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy for the trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning 

In return Rebekah had agreed she would’ look after’ her agent and friend ‘behind the scenes’, it is claimed.

Rebekah Vardy ‘gave a photographer access to her Instagram account so he could sell stories’

Rebekah Vardy gave a photographer access to her Instagram account so he could sell stories, the court heard today.

Public relations consultant Penelope Addarewa told how she was in a bistro with ‘a well known’ person who she overheard discussing the matter with photographer Danny Hayward.

She said she was ‘taken aback’ after hearing the ‘revelations.

Mrs Addarewa said the claim was made during a 10-15 minute conversation which took place in the aftermath of Coleen Rooney’s bombshell post and the ‘media storm that followed in October 2019.

She said: ‘They were talking about Coleen and Rebekah and how it’s all going off here’. Danny said Becky was keeping to her story or words to that effect. He was talking a lot about Becky. He was just so blaze. I was just taken aback. I was really surprised.’

The mystery man, known only as ‘Y’ in the court, was speaking to Mr Hayward had not arrived at the meeting but the conversation took place on a speakerphone.

She said in her statement: ‘The topic of Mrs Rooney and Mrs Vardy came up during their ‘chat’.

‘I cannot recall what exactly got them on to the topic but I specifically recall Danny mentioning that he had a means of access to Mrs Vardy’s Instagram account and how he had that means of access for a long time.

‘Their discussion of this topic was promoted by Mrs Rooney’s statement some days earlier. Danny seemed to be speaking as though he even had a means of access to Mrs Vardy’s Instagram account at the time of the meeting.

‘Danny also mentioned that he had been involved in the sale of stories using Mrs Vardy’s Instagram account as the source for the story.

‘Y and Danny did not discuss the specifics of any particular story but he spoke openly in general terms about the fact that stories were sold with Mrs Vardy’s Instagram account as the source.

‘I specifically recall Danny saying that Mrs Vardy was not only aware that Danny had a means of access to her account but also that she was well aware that access had been and was being used to take content and pass it to the press.

‘This much was abundantly clear to me from listening to the exchange, though there was no express discussion of Mrs Vardy personally benefitting from a financial perspective and it would therefore be speculative for me to suggest so.’

She said the ‘boasts’ were said in a ‘blaze’ way.

Mrs Adaarewa added: ‘From the discussions between them it was clear to me that they all worked closely together regularly, including Caroline Watt, who had been scheduled to attend the meeting but who had not in fact attended, and that they had worked and collaborated together on what seemed like a number of matters in the past. ‘

She declined to give the name of the mystery man saying it was ‘unfair’ and she did not want to ‘upset his work’. She said the meeting was unrelated.

 

Mr Stretford told of Ms Watt’s alleged sacking in the aftermath of Coleen’s Wagatha Christie post. He told the court that he received a call from PR expert Ian Monk who broke the news of the ‘sacking’ ‘sometime between October 11 and 15, 2019.

In court documents he said: ‘Ian told me that he had been informed that a note had been sent round to all news desks that Rebekah Vardy had sacked Caroline Watt as her agent.’

He said any updates or information relating to the matter from then would be coming from Rebekah’s solicitors.

He added: ‘I recall having a discussion with Ian Monk and it was my understanding that there were rumours circulating at the time that Rebekah Vardy was going to be severing ties with Caroline Watt albeit she would look after Caroline Watt behind the scenes in return for Caroline Watt publicly taking the blame for having leaked Coleen’s Instagram stories and posts to The Sun.’

Giving evidence about the sacking claim, Mr Stretford told the court he was given the information after meeting Mr Monk at London Euston train station. Asked about the claim, he said: ‘I was given the information by Mr Monk and put it in my statement.’

Mr Stretford denied Mr Monk had merely ‘passed on a rumour’ saying: ‘I’m not sure that he would be passing on a rumour. I would expect and hope he would be passing something on from knowledge.’

He also dismissed a suggestion the claim may have been made because Rebekah was being subjected to ‘absolutely unacceptable’ levels of abuse in the aftermath of Coleen’s revelation. Mr Stretford described Coleen as ‘a very private person’

Coleen finished her evidence yesterday, having first walked into the witness box of Court 13 on Friday. Yesterday, she responded to questions about Rooney’s ‘misbehaving’ and arrest for drink drinking.

Hugh Tomlinson QC, for Rebekah, referred to an article which told of Rooney’s arrest for drink driving, when he was caught with another woman in the car.

The barrister said it was ‘another apparent crisis’ in their relationship and that Rooney had been ‘misbehaving’.

Coleen replied: ‘Yes there has been a few, it’s unfortunate that things have happened in my life and they get publicised, and it has happened quite a few times and I have dealt with it – we have dealt with it as a couple and as a family.’

Mr Tomlinson referred to a ‘supportive’ message sent around that time from Rebekah to Coleen, saying there was ‘nothing suspicious’ about it.

Coleen said: ‘I already had suspicions … so as time went on things just seemed to add up. When there were tough times going on, I did feel like Mrs Vardy would message me.’

She added: ‘Obviously, having the suspicions that I had, I felt like it was a bit of fishing for information.’

Coleen was also asked about the aftermath of her ‘reveal’ post and Rebekah’s response.

Mr Tomlinson said: ‘She makes it clear to you that it wasn’t her, doesn’t she?’

‘She says she has zero interest in what’s going on in my life, which I believe is totally untrue,’ Coleen replied. ‘She talks about me a lot… so that was a lie,’ she added.

Coleen then discussed WhatsApp messages the court had heard between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt – in which Coleen featured.

She said she had never met or spoken to Ms Watt, commenting on the agent’s exchanges with Rebekah: ‘The messages that went on between them were just evil and uncalled for.’

‘There’s no need for it, I’ve never done anything to them,’ Coleen added.

She later said she had a lot of people contacting her immediately after the post, and Mr Tomlinson said people online were calling her ‘Wagatha Christie’.

She responded: ‘Yeah, which I just think is ridiculous. I got a lot of people sending me pictures, screenshots and obviously people didn’t realise how serious what was behind it was.

As part of the ‘sting operation’ Coleen Rooney planted three false stories on her private Instagram account, with the viewers restricted to only Rebekah Vardy’s account, to see whether they would be leaked to The Sun newspaper. One of these stories was posted on April 8, 2019, with Coleen claiming she was travelling to Mexico to look into a procedure to determine a baby’s sex. ‘Let’s go and see what this gender selection is all about,’ Mrs Rooney posted, accompanied with a number of heart emojis

On January 22, 2019, Coleen Rooney posted a picture on her private Instagram, showing damage to her car after a collision. The next day Rebekah Vardy says in a WhatsApp message to Caroline Watt: ‘She’s a nasty b***h x’ and ‘I’ve taken a big dislike to her!… Would love to leak those stories x’. Rebekah claims her comments were not about Coleen

The post that resulted in a newspaper article headlined ‘Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s £20million ‘Morrisons mansion’ flooded during Storm Lorenzo’. The court heard that the post, only visible to Rebekah’s Instagram account, showed a bottle of wine and was captioned: ‘Needed after today… flood in the basement of our new house… when it all seemed to be going so well’

‘I felt it was hard and people I trusted and people I had let into my circle were going against me.’ 

Messages between Rebekah Vardy and her agent were probably ‘manually deleted’

Messages between Rebekah Vardy and her agent which have never been found were probably ‘manually deleted’ the High Court heard today.

Data expert Matthew Blackband was asked to explain the most likely explanation for the loss of WhatsApp messages exchanged by the pair in the days after Coleen Rooney’s Wagatha Christie post.

Coleen’s barrister David Sherborne asked the investigator: ‘What is the most likely explanation for the loss or deletion of that data?’

Mr Blackband said: ‘Based on the information that’s been provided I would suggest it’s a manual deletion.’

Mr Blackband, who is Coleen’s expert witness in the case, was also asked if there was any evidence that Rebekah’s Instagram account was compromised. He said: ‘There’s no indicators of a compromise.’

She added: ‘I have never spoke about this until this case, so I haven’t dwelt on it, to be honest with you I have hated every minute of it.’

Yesterday’s hearing also featured evidence from Coleen’s former PR representative Rachel Monk, about her interactions with The Sun newspaper in relation to stories about the footballer’s wife.

On one occasion, according to her witness statement, Ms Monk told a Sun journalist that a story about her client going to a gender selection clinic in Mexico was ‘bonkers’.

Harpreet Robertson, a former family liaison officer at the Football Association, told the court that two guests of Rebekah – who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy – allegedly being ‘rude and abusive’ to her at a Euros 2016 match was the ‘worst moment’ she had experienced at a game.

She claimed in her witness statement that Rebekah’s evidence about why she sat behind Coleen at the England versus Wales match was ‘simply untrue’.

In a brief appearance in the witness box, Coleen’s brother Joe McLoughlin told the court he was ‘shocked’ when he read his sister’s October 2019 social media post revealing her so-called ‘sting operation’ after helping her to create a ‘graphic’ of its text shortly before it was sent.

‘It was a shock to me,’ he said in a brief appearance in the witness box.

Mr McLoughlin explained he helped run his sister’s public social media accounts as he worked at Triple S Group – the sports management company supporting Wayne Rooney.

Asked if he had previously discussed with his sister how she might find out who was leaking her information, he replied: ‘No, never’.

Coleen Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial continues

Wayne Rooney walks into the Royal Courts Of Justice in London today as the £3million libel trial continues


Coleen Rooney smiles as she arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning for the trial to continue

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Coleen Rooney steps out of a car with her husband Wayne Rooney at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as he walks into the building

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning 


Coleen Rooney arrives with her husband Wayne Rooney at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Coleen Rooney walks into the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning with her foot still in a brace after a fall

Rebekah Vardy arrives with her husband Jamie Vardy at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning

Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as photographers capture the moment

Coleen Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning


Coleen Rooney walks into the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning as the libel trial continues

Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning for the next day of the trial

Wayne Rooney talks to Jamie Vardy of England during a match at Wembley Stadium in London on June 2, 2016

Also yesterday, Coleen was asked about the abuse Rebekah received on social media after the reveal post. Coleen said: ‘I know and it is disgusting. I would never ever wish that upon anyone.

Revealed: ‘Uncalled-for’ messages in libel case

January 22, 2019: Coleen Rooney posts a picture on her private Instagram, showing damage to her car after a collision. The next day Rebekah Vardy says in a WhatsApp message to Caroline Watt: ‘She’s a nasty b***h x’ and ‘I’ve taken a big dislike to her!… Would love to leak those stories x’. Rebekah claims her comments were not about Coleen .

January 27: Coleen tweets: ‘It’s sad to think someone who I have accepted to follow me is betraying for either money or to keep a relationship with the press.’ Rebekah sends a WhatsApp message to Mrs Watt: ‘U seen Coleen’s Twitter.’ Mrs Watt replies: ‘Such a victim. Poor Coleen… And it wasn’t someone she trusted. It was me.’

February 6: Rebekah in messages to Mrs Watt: ‘She [Coleen] thinks it’s me that’s been doing stories on her!… That c*** needs to get over herself!’

October 1: Rebekah says that in a picture on Coleen’s private Instagram one of the Rooney children ‘looks like he’s go [sic] no seatbelt on’. Mrs Watt replies: ‘Yeh he is but it’s on her private insta so can’t do anything with it x… She has taken it down now too.’ Rebekah ardy responds: ‘She’s such a d**k x’

 

‘I was getting trolled as well but obviously Mrs Vardy’s was disgusting, the things they were saying … the world we live in today and the trolling is terrible.’

She told the court that she did not say anything further about her investigation, either to Rebekah or publicly, because of a legal letter she had received from Rebekah’s lawyers.

She said: ‘I was quite threatened by it. I just held off and tried to take direction from what the solicitors advised me.’

Earlier yesterday, Coleen said she wanted a ‘totally untrue’ story about a so-called gender selection procedure to be published as ‘evidence’ for her sting operation to discover the source of leaked stories.

One of the Instagram stories used in the ‘sting’ was posted on April 8 2019, with Coleen claiming she was travelling to Mexico to look into a procedure to determine a baby’s sex.

‘Let’s go and see what this gender selection is all about,’ Coleen posted, accompanied with a number of heart emojis and what appeared to be a grimacing face emoji.

Around four months later, The Sun published a story online on August 15 2019 with the headline ‘Col’s baby girl bid’, marked as an exclusive, detailing Coleen’s alleged ‘desperate bid to have a baby girl’.

Asked about this post by Mr Tomlinson, Coleen said: ‘I wanted the story to run so I had evidence.’

Coleen also told the High Court she ‘had suspicions’ that Rebekah’s Instagram account was responsible for leaking information to journalists when she unfollowed her on the social media site.

She said the pair were ‘not good friends’ and that if someone had unfollowed her she would ‘probably just forget about it and not message’ the person, adding: ‘I wouldn’t have been that bothered really.’

She said: ‘I felt it was suspicious. Obviously, I had suspicions in other ways, so this just added to the suspicions that I had.’

A court artist’s sketch of Coleen Rooney at the witness stand at the High Court yesterday as Mrs Justice Steyn listens

Another court artist’s sketch of Coleen Rooney at the Royal Courts of Justice in London yesterday as she gives evidence

A third artist’s sketch of Coleen Rooney, watched by Rebekah Vardy, being spoken to by barrister David Sherborne yesterday

The trial comes after a widely-shared social media post in October 2019, in which Coleen Rooney said she had carried out a ‘sting operation’ and accused 40-year-old Rebekah Vardy of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life to the press

Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy during his side’s Premier League match against Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday

Coleen is defending the libel claim brought by Rebekah on the basis of truth and public interest.

The libel battle comes after Coleen publicly claimed that an account behind three fake stories in The Sun that she had posted on her personal Instagram account was Rebekah’s.

The fake stories Coleen planted on her Instagram during the sting operation featured her travelling to Mexico for a ‘gender selection’ procedure, her planning to return to TV, and the basement flooding at her home.

In the post on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, she wrote: ‘I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them. It’s ………. Rebekah Vardy’s account.’

Peter Andre looks cheery leaving latest Grease show – after voicing fury at the size of his manhood being dragged into Wagatha Christie case

Peter Andre leaves the Grease show in London last night

The size of his manhood was publicly brought into the Wagatha Christie case when Rebekah Vardy compared it to a ‘chipolata’ during her libel trial against Coleen Rooney. 

But Peter Andre looked in good spirits last night while leaving London’s Dominion Theatre following another performance in Grease: The Musical.

The singer, 49, cut a casual figure in a black T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms as he gave a thumbs up for the cameras and later posed with adoring fans.

Andre is starring in the new Grease musical as Vince Fontaine in a career move which marks his West End debut. 

His cheerful outing comes after he took to Instagram to express his annoyance after the size of his manhood was dragged into the Wagatha Christie court case when Rebekah compared it to a ‘chipolata’.

He said he has managed to see the funny side of the manhood reference after it was referenced on day three of Rebekah and Coleen’s court case last week. The TV personality took to Instagram to say that despite his positive stance, there would outrage if a man had made a similar slur about a woman’s anatomy.

‘I’ll be laughing about it for a while, but think about how it would feel if it was the other way around, that’s all I’m saying,’ he said in a video. And he captioned a new video: ‘Here I was this morning sat in my robe feeling like I had to say something. Feel free to come to your own conclusion. Just a couple of things first. Sorry to Emily and the children that have had to see and hear some not very nice things… You all know I like to take the p*** out of myself but maybe I felt a bit vulnerable this morning. Love from an Aussie Brit Greek.’ 

Where DID Rebekah Vardy go when she left the courtroom? To punch a wall at her utter stupidity in bringing this case? JANE FRYER watches the Wagatha Christie drama unfold 

By JANE FRYER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Mrs Justice Steyn would surely be forgiven if she’d spent the weekend wallowing in a stack of Halsbury’s Statutes, yearning to wrestle once again with a juicy Saudi arms deal or a tricky case about Guantanamo Bay inmates and trying to blank out anything and everything Wag.

But most of us are quite happy to have the extraordinary events of last week seared forever on to our brains.

Everything from the car crash of Rebekah Vardy’s evidence (and several of her court outfits) to the restrained Aircasted, Gucci- garnished dignity of Coleen.

The precise proportions of Peter Andre’s teeny acorn; the ups and downs in the Rooney marriage. And the agony writ large across Wayne’s big pink face as he slouched, suddenly loyal as a lurcher, beside his surprisingly diminutive wife.

What a week it was. Vintage. Epic. Unbeatable.

But today is another day. Another week! And a very bright one, too, thanks to Rebekah who has come dressed for Ladies’ Day at Aintree in an acid, lemon- yellow suit.

Which, from a distance could pass for Chanel, but close up is deemed ‘too shiny’ by the fashion elite outside court.

(It is actually a rather splendid £2,095 two-piece by Alessandra Rich, accessorised with a £1,890 bag).

Coleen, meanwhile, looks all set for a shift at Specsavers in a recycled grey suit from The Kooples, a plain black top and her trusty clutch at her side.

And Wayne – poor Wayne – seems to be wearing someone else’s school uniform again.

Then we’re off. Coleen – clean, clear, concise and doggedly calm – describes Vardy’s private, expletive-ridden WhatsApp messages as ‘just evil’ and shares a bit about herself with Court 13.

How she hates all the fuss and has never courted press attention.

How, even when she was planning her brilliant Hercule Poirot-style reveal – originally written out by hand, like a true sleuth, on a note that is now forever lost – she told no one, not even Wayne.

How she was staggered by all the attention it caused, ‘hated every minute of it’ and is loathing the trial. And how, horror of horrors, she doesn’t even much like the term ‘Wagatha Christie’! Oh Coleen, what sort of Wag are you?

She even gives the messy court bundles in the witness box a quick tidy at one point and spends a long, long time patiently explaining the difference between Instagram photos and ‘stories’ to overpriced lawyers who really could have taken the trouble to mug up beforehand – or just ask their kids.

On and on her cross-examination goes. If one can call it that.

Because Hugh Tomlinson QC, the great greying Rottweiler favoured by oligarchs, royals and just about anyone needing a super-injunction, barely lays a glove on her.

If Rebekah felt ‘bullied and manipulated’ after her mauling by ‘Shere Khan’ David Sherborne, Tomlinson’s expert grilling is more a gentle stroke – a cool legal hand on Coleen’s lovely, smooth brow. This is the Ibiza half-term holiday of interrogations.

Which must be nice for Coleen after all she’s been through.

But for the rest of us it does mean there’s none of the high-drama fireworks of last week. The zing, the zest – other than Vardy’s get-up – has gone. Everyone’s a bit floppy.

David Sherborne’s magnificent tan seems to have lost a touch of its deep, mahogany sheen.

Even Rebekah – finally out of the hot seat – doesn’t seem to be revelling in it much.

In fact, as we trudge through endless discussions about who sat in whose seats when they shouldn’t have and then swore unattractively at the 2016 Euros, Bex looks positively sour.

Until, suddenly, during the afternoon break, she’s had enough and – citing a pre-existing appointment – legs it.

Maybe she’s spilt something down that suit. Perhaps there’s a flash sale at Dolce & Gabbana.

Or, could it be, she suddenly just needs to go out and punch a wall, hard, at her utter stupidity in issuing these proceedings?

As my taxi driver puts it: ‘It’s bloody mad. Sri Lanka’s got one day of petrol left and all everyone’s talking about is a couple of Wags at war. The world’s gone crazy!’

And, of course, he’s quite right. But coming up in the next episode of this preposterous tale, Wayne will be giving evidence – oh golly – and we won’t be missing a single moment.

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