Coleen Rooney wins ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel case against Rebekah Vardy
- London’s High Court said Rooney’s allegations that Vardy had leaked stories about her private life to The Sun tabloid were ‘substantially true’
- The legal feud has attracted similar level of fascination and media attention to any of their husbands’ soccer games
Coleen Rooney, the wife of former England soccer captain Wayne, emerged victorious in her high-profile libel match with the spouse of one of his ex-teammates after the High Court in London agreed Rebekah Vardy had leaked stories about her to the press.
In a case that has fascinated the media and public alike with its mix of glamour, soccer, and amateur sleuthing, the court backed Rooney’s very public assertion that Vardy had been spilling private details to The Sun tabloid.
The intrigue began almost three years ago when Rooney became suspicious about stories appearing in The Sun involving information she had put on her personal Instagram account. She turned detective to try to find out who the culprit was.
She said she blocked everyone from viewing her account except one person and then posted a series of false stories to see whether they leaked out, which she said they had.
She wrote on her social media accounts that only one person had viewed the false stories, concluding with the dramatic revelation: “It’s … Rebekah Vardy’s account.”
Vardy, 40, sued Rooney and the feud was dubbed the “Wagatha Christie” case, a reference to the “WAG” moniker given to the glamorous group of footballers’ wives and girlfriends, and to the renowned author of detective novels, in honour of Rooney’s amateur sleuthing.