Victoria Beckham faces slander suit

Victoria Beckham is to be sued for slander after the Court of Appeal ruled that she can be held responsible for the effects of an alleged outburst questioning the authenticity of autographsof her husband, the England football captain.

The owners of a celebrity memorabilia store are claiming estimated damages of £500,000 from the pop star.

Mrs Beckham, 27, is accused of making "loud and rude" remarks in saying a £65 picture of her husband, David, at GT's Recollections, in the Bluewater shopping mall in Kent, was a fake. The family running the store claims takings slumped after the alleged remarks, which were claimed to have been made in front of a vicar's wife, two teenagers and two shop assistants, were reported in national newspapers. Mrs Beckham denies the claim.

A High Court judge ruled that the owners – Timothy, Glynis and Anthony McManus – could only seek damages for the effects of her remarks on those in the store at the time. But three Court of Appeal judges overturned that ruling yesterday, saying the former Spice Girl should have been aware what she said was likely to find a wider audience because of her celebrity.

Lord Justice Waller, delivering the ruling, said: "A reasonable person in the position of [Mrs Beckham] should have appreciated that there was a significant risk that what she said would be in the press and that would increase the damage caused."

Lawyers for the McManus family said the judgment was a "huge victory" in their fight.

Mrs Beckham, who was not in court to hear the ruling, was ordered to pay legal costs for proceedings so far, estimated at £100,000.