Rebekah Vardy – live: Coleen Rooney’s triumphant messages to friends after ‘Wagatha Christie’ reveal post

It comes after Wayne Rooney told court he was asked to speak to Jamie Vardy to ‘calm down’ wife

Rebekah Vardy tells court she did not leak stories about Coleen Rooney

Coleen Rooney posted triumphant messages to her friends after she accused Rebekah Vardy’s account of being behind leaks of her personal information to The Sun, new photos show.

In previously unseen images, Coleen Rooney told her Instagram followers “Don’t play games with a girl who can play better” after she posted her infamous ‘Wagatha Christie’ message on 19 October 2019.

She added: “After years of my personal Instagram posts getting leaked to the SUN newspaper..... I’ve finally cracked it and know exactly who’s account it is !!!!.”

Ms Rooney, 36, is being sued for defamation by Ms Vardy, 40, over the offending post. The images of Coleen Rooney’s Instagram posts were submitted as evidence to the High Court during Ms Vardy’s libel trial.

On the last day of the trial yesterday, Ms Rooney’s lawyer accused Ms Vardy of carrying out a “cover up” to hide “incriminating evidence” ahead of the trial.

Ms Vardy’s lawyer accused Ms Rooney’s side of furthering “conspiracy theories” about the model allegedly deleting key message exchanges between herself and her agent Caroline Watt.

Mr Hugh Tomlinson said the footballer’s wife “accepts” her agent could have been the source of leaks to the press.

Ms Justice Steyn has now retired to consider her judgement in the case.

Key Points

• ‘I will reply but just sky diving’: Coleen’s messages after Wagatha post
• Wayne Rooney in his PJs - and other never before seen photos
• How Rebekah Vardy reacted to ‘Wagatha’ reveal post
• Revealed: Instagram stories Coleen Rooney used to ‘trap’ leaker in Wagatha sting
• What happened in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel case?

[18 May 2022 05:00 · Stuti Mishra]

Coleen Rooney-Rebekah Vardy timeline: Everything that’s happened in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel case

My colleague Joe Sommerlad has put together this timeline of the case between the two footballers’ wives, from that infamous moment on 19 October 2019 when Coleen Rooney took to Twitter to issue an astonishing attack on Rebekah Vardy, accusing her of betraying her confidence in pursuit of personal gain.

[18 May 2022 04:00 · Chiara Giordano]

ICYMI: Coleen has become ‘a different mother, a different wife’ because of trial, Wayne Rooney says

Wayne Rooney has said his wife Coleen has “become a different mother, a different wife” because of the stress of the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel trial.

Speaking from the witness stand at the High Court on Tuesday, the former England captain and Derby County manager said he and his wife “don’t want to be in this court”.

Holly Bancroft has the full story:

[18 May 2022 02:00 · Chiara Giordano]

ICYMI: Wayne Rooney says he asked Jamie Vardy to ‘calm down’ wife at Euro 2016 at request of England manager

On the sixth day of the trial, Wayne Rooney told the High Court he asked Jamie Vardy to "calm down" his wife at the request of England manager Roy Hodgson during the Euros in 2016.

Mr Rooney said he was asked to intervene over the media attention Ms Vardy had been receiving during the tournament.

Matt Mathers has the full story:

[18 May 2022 00:01 · Chiara Giordano]

ICYMI: Rebekah Vardy vs Coleen Rooney: a breakdown of their courthouse style

As the trial continues at the Royal Courts of Justice, Saman Javed has taken a closer look at the footballers’ wives courthouse style.

Both women have stuck to a muted colour palette so far, opting for either black, white or dark blue hues.

It is suggested Rooney and Vardy are likely using their clothing to communicate the seriousness and importance of the trial.

[17 May 2022 22:00 · Chiara Giordano]

Day six highlights

Holly Bancroft, who has been at the High Court in London for The Independent, has pulled together the key highlights to come from day six of the explosive trial:

[17 May 2022 20:22 · Chiara Giordano]

No hearing tomorrow

There will be no hearing taking place at the High Court on Wednesday.

It is now expected both Hugh Tomlinson QC, for Rebekah Vardy, and David Sherborne, for Coleen Rooney, will give their closing speeches on Thursday.

Mrs Justice Steyn is expected to give her decision in writing at a later date.

[17 May 2022 18:17 · Holly Bancroft]

Highlights from day six

All the evidence has now been heard in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial at the High Court. Here are the highlights from day six:

- Wayne Rooney told the High Court that he had an “awkward” conversation with Jamie Vardy to get his wife to “calm down” her media activities during Euro 2016 at the request of the England manager.

- Mr Rooney said that Coleen has “become a different mother, a different wife” because of the stress of the libel trial.

- England’s top goalscorer said that he “didn’t want to get involved” with his wife’s social media sting, saying she is “an independent woman who does her own thing.”

- Coleen Rooney’s fake Instagram stories, which she used to run her sting operation, were revealed at the High Court.

- Wayne Rooney’s cousin Claire said she was referred to as “chavvy” in a WhatsApp message exchange between Rebekah Vardy and her agent.

- Splash news photographer said Ms Vardy knew all about leaks to the press, PR exec testified.

- Rebekah Vardy and her husband Jamie left her High Court libel trial early on Tuesday. One of Ms Vardy’s legal team told the court that they left early because “Mrs Vardy isn’t feeling very well”.

- Defence witness Mr Matthew Blackband queried Ms Vardy’s account that her computer crashed when she tried to upload her Whatsapp chats with her agent and that’s why she lost key messages. “Based on the information that has been provided I would suggest that this is a manual deletion,” he said.

[17 May 2022 17:46 · Tom Batchelor]

ICYMI: Coleen Rooney has become ‘a different mother, a different wife’ because of trial

Wayne Rooney has said that his wife Coleen has “become a different mother, a different wife” because of the stress of the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel trial.

Speaking from the witness stand at the High Court on Tuesday, the former England captain and Derby County manager said they he and his wife “don’t want to be in this court”.

Here is the story:

[17 May 2022 16:58 · Holly Bancroft]

Court rises

The court has risen for the day. That concludes all the evidence in Rebekah Vardy’s libel trail against Coleen Rooney.

The trial will return on Thursday morning to hear closing arguments.

[17 May 2022 16:51 · Holly Bancroft]

Voices: True to form, at the Wagatha Christie trial Wayne Rooney may have just decided the game

Political sketch writer Tom Peck has delivered his verdict on day six of the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial. He writes:

“The witness box of Court 13 is far from the only box into which Wayne Rooney has made a well-timed late arrival, and the results were typically devastating.

Manchester United and England’s record goal scorer was the penultimate witness in his wife’s defence, and though we can’t know yet, it’s quite possible he’s decided the game.

At the latter stages of their careers, once-rampaging attackers like Rooney have to learn to play a little bit smarter. Their all action days are over. They can’t always track back. Instead they must conserve their energy, they must wait for the moment and then, wallop! They pounce.

Which is exactly what Wayne Rooney did.”

Read the full piece here: