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Coleen and Wayne Rooney have arrived at the High Court for another clash with Rebekah Vardy as the Wagatha Christie libel trial enters its fourth day.
A smiling Coleen – dressed all in white and wearing a striking gold watch – stepped out of a black taxi alongside her husband, who wore a navy jacket over a suit with a leather handbag containing a file in one hand.
The WAG will take to the witness box today to deliver her first day of testimony – after her bitter rival Rebekah went through a brutal cross-examination yesterday which reduced her to tears.
Rebekah broke down in court and the hearing had to be halted twice as she described the fall-out from Mrs Rooney’s famous ‘Wagatha Christie‘ tweet.
It declared that she had been betrayed, adding: ‘It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account.’ The 40-year-old wife of Leicester City star Jamie Vardy said she was immediately bombarded with vile abuse and death threats.
She told the High Court: ‘It seemed she had weaponised her fan base against me.’

A smiling Coleen – dressed all in white and wearing a striking gold watch – stepped out of a black taxi alongside her husband

Wayne was holding the same leather handbag containing a file that he has been seen carrying earlier in the case. While Coleen, as before, had an orthopedic boot on her left leg following an accident at home

Coleen is giving evidence today from the witness box after her bitter rival Rebekah went through a brutal cross-examination yesterday which reduced her to tears
The mother-of-five wiped away tears as she was accused of leaking private information about Coleen, attempting to destroy incriminating evidence and pinning the blame on her agent and friend Caroline Watt.
Coleen’s lawyer David Sherborne claimed Rebekah had betrayed Mrs Watt by ‘throwing her under the bus’. Rebekah sobbed: ‘She’s been driven to suicidal thoughts by these proceedings and the antics of the defendant [Coleen].’
The footballer’s wife was led from the court in tears twice during the hearing and at the end of the day as she struggled during cross-examination by Mr Sherborne.
She has told how she received a ‘torrent of insults’ and death threats within moments of Coleen’s social media post in 2019. She was seven months pregnant and feared she could lose her unborn baby.
Rebekah is suing Coleen – wife of former England striker Wayne Rooney – for libel over the post, which led to her being dubbed ‘Wagatha Christie’.
She accused Coleen of deliberately provoking the furore, saying: ‘She knows exactly how aggressive and nasty the social media community can be… She should have used her influence and reach to call the trolls off. She didn’t.’
In a series of tense exchanges with Mr Sherborne, Rebekah was repeatedly accused of leaking information from Coleen’s private Instagram account to The Sun and of lying in her evidence to the court.

Weeping Wag Rebekah Vardy yesterday claimed Coleen Rooney ‘weaponised’ her fans when she accused her of leaking stories to the Press
Mr Sherborne asked: ‘Would you not agree, Rebekah, that if it looks like a leak and it sounds like a leak – and you even use the word leak – that it’s more likely than not to be a leak… That’s what you are, isn’t it, a leak?’
‘No,’ Rebekah said repeatedly, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. The lawyer claimed she had betrayed Mrs Watt, expecting her ‘to do the dirty work’ by contacting journalists and then attempting to pin the blame on her.
He said: ‘It’s you that betrayed her by throwing her under the bus.’
Mrs Vardy broke down, shaking her head and muttering: ‘That’s a joke.’ WhatsApp messages between Mrs Watt and Mrs Vardy have been read to the court in which the two women discussed posts on Mrs Rooney’s private Instagram account.
Mrs Vardy insists they were gossiping and she was joking about leaking the information, although she has admitted that Mrs Watt may have contacted journalists.
Mrs Watt, 40, was expected to be called as a witness but the court has heard she is now receiving psychiatric care and has been deemed too unwell to give evidence.
Experts were also unable to analyse her iPhone after she accidentally dropped it overboard while filming the Scottish coastline on a boat trip – days after the court ordered the mobile should be searched. Mr Sherborne said the episode was part of a ‘catalogue of so-called unfortunate events’ which had affected the case. The court heard that screenshots and videos sent on the WhatsApp chat between Mrs Vardy and Mrs Watt were permanently deleted during a data transfer and Mrs Vardy’s laptop was discarded after it stopped working.

Mrs Vardy broke down in court and the hearing had to be halted twice as she described the fall-out from Mrs Rooney’s famous ‘Wagatha Christie’ tweet
Mrs Vardy repeatedly denied she had deliberately deleted potentially incriminating evidence and disposed of her laptop.
She said she believed the messages would have been ‘extremely helpful’ to proving her case.
Earlier, Mr Sherborne accused her of ‘selective amnesia’ over her recollection of events. She denied she had orchestrated a tip-off to paparazzi over a photo of her with other England Wags – wives and girlfriends – during the World Cup in Russia in 2018. She and Mrs Watt exchanged messages in which they appeared to plan the photo, but Mrs Vardy said it was only intended to be a picture of her.
The photo led to complaints from Wags and at least one player as English football bosses wanted media coverage focused on the team and the tournament rather than the wives and girlfriends. In a message to Mrs Watt, Mrs Vardy said: ‘England will do their nut.’ Asked about an article about the Wags at the World Cup, Mrs Vardy said: ‘If I’m honest, I can’t remember that at all.’ Mr Sherborne replied: ‘Well, I would much rather you were honest because you are in a witness box under oath.’
The court also heard a message she sent to Mrs Rooney in which she suggested that her phone could have been hacked. She denied it was an attempt to divert suspicion away from her. In an uncomfortable exchange, she was also asked about an article which claimed the Rooneys’ marriage was over – while Mrs Rooney and Wayne sat feet away from her.
Mrs Rooney, 36, is expected to start her evidence in the £3million libel trial today. She took copious notes throughout former friend Mrs Vardy’s evidence and has reportedly signed a contract with Netflix to make a documentary about the trial. The case continues.
Team Rooney vs Team Vardy! Rebekah is supported by crisis manager who’s an expert in online reputation and a VERY burly bodyguard in Jamie’s absence – while Coleen has Hollywood’s favourite barrister
By Bridie Pearson-Jones for MailOnline
Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy have enlisted some of the country’s finest media experts and legal minds as they go head to head in the celebrity trial of the decade.
Yesterday was the second instalment of the £3million ‘Wagatha Christie‘ libel trial between the two footballer’s wives which featured a tearful appearance in the witness box, Whatsapp ‘gossip’ about a mystery celebrity affair and yet more foul-mouthed text messages – all brought to an end by a fittingly dramatic fire alarm.
Coleen publicly ‘outed’ her fellow WAG when she accused her of sharing three fake stories she had posted on her personal Instagram with The Sun as part of what she described as a social media ‘sting’ operation. Rebekah vehemently denied the allegation – leading her to launch the pricey legal action which saw its second day on Wednesday.
While Tuesday’s hearing dredged up Peter Andre‘s alleged ‘chipolata’ manhood, yesterday focused on Rebekah’s relationship with her agent Caroline Watt.
In the Vardy corner is Hacked Off founder Hugh Tomlinson QC – as well as two glamorous members of the legal team, including one who was once named one of the ‘sexiest lawyers’ in the UK, and another who is a crisis manager who’s experienced in online reputation.
Vardy has also appeared alongside a security guard – whereas Coleen doesn’t appear to have any bodyguard by her when entering court.
Meanwhile, Coleen has been joined in court by her football superstar husband Wayne as well as Hollywood’s favourite lawyer David Sherborne and rising legal mind Ben Hamer.
Here, FEMAIL reveals who’s who at the trial that’s kept the nation gripped…
TEAM VARDY
Dr Rosa Malley
In Rebekah’s legal team is Dr Rosa Malley, 37, an Associate in the Dispute Resolution team at top law firm Kingsley Napley.
Rosa was a part of the Hacked Off campaign and specialises in reputation and media matters, according to her online bio.
She previously worked as a paralegal at top city law firm Mishcon de Reya, who led the High Court bid to stop Boris Johnson triggering Brexit.
One of their barristers, Anthony Julius, acted for Princess Diana in her divorce from Prince Charles.

In Rebekah’s legal team is Dr Rosa Malley, 37, an Associate in the Dispute Resolution team at top law firm Kingsley Napley

Rebekah Vardy, wife of Leicester City soccer player Jamie Vardy, leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London
The firm also represented Heather Mills in her divorce case against Beatles star Paul McCartney, before separating ‘amicably’ from their client.
The company also acted for former Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister Chris Huhne when he faced allegations of perverting the course of justice by ‘swapping’ speeding points with his wife. Mr Huhne was later sentenced to eight months in prison.
Rosa got her PhD studying the Representation of Women in British Politics at University of Bristol in 2011.
She works in pre and post-publication for broadcast media, and has also worked in crisis management with politicians, sportspeople, celebrities and high profile criminal defendants.
Before her legal career, Rosa worked in politics, as a researcher at the ThinkTank Institute for Government and as a Special Projects Manager for the Hacked Off campaign. She also taught British Politics at Birkbeck, University of London.
Fittingly for the case in question, Rosa has experience in online reputation and abuse on social media.
Charlotte Harris
Like Rosa, Charlotte Harris, 44, worked at Hacked Off and for eminent law firm Mishcon de Reya.
Described as ‘one of the most sought out privacy lawyers in the land’ she boasts a client base of ‘MPs, celebrities, PR experts, sports agents, sports people’.
In 2013, she married investment banker James Burr, with a very star-studded guest list including Hugh Grant, MP Tom Watson, MP Chris Huhne, and Max Clifford.

Like Rosa, Charlotte Harris (pictured), 44, worked at Hacked Off and for eminent law firm Mishcon de Reya
At the wedding millionaire former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne enjoyed his last night of liberty before he was sentenced the next day at Southwark crown court to eight months’ imprisonment.
Writing in the Diary column for the New Stateman at the time, Mr Watson said he ‘entertained’ the gathering of celebrities, MPs, bankers and highly remunerated senior Mishcon staff with a karaoke rendition of the new wave anthem Teenage Kicks.
Clearly beauty and brains, she was named one of the country’s sexiest lawyers in 2015 in a list put together by the website Legal Cheek.
Charlotte has appeared before Parliamentary Select Committees throughout her career, including the Leveson Inquiry and was described as a ‘force of nature and always ready for a fight’ by Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide in 2020.
Hugh Tomlinson QC
Hugh Tomlinson QC, who is representing Ms Vardy, is a top-flight privacy silk who has launched dozen of battles with the press in his four decade career.
The Leeds-born, Oxford-educated lawyer last year advocated successfully in a claim against a journalist and author after she made false allegations that Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea FC on Vladimir Putin’s orders.
He was one of several lawyers representing Russian oligarchs whose ethics were questioned in parliament by the Conservative MP Bob Seely following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Hugh Tomlinson QC, who is representing Ms Vardy, is a top-flight privacy silk who has launched dozen of battles with the press in his four decade career
The lawyer was on the side of Jeremy Clarkson’s ex-wife Alex Hall when he tried to – but dropped – efforts to stop her claiming they had an affair during his later marriage.
He also successfully represented Prince Charles as the royal sought to stop the publishing of his Hong Kong travel diaries, saying public interest justifications were ‘far-fetched’.
And in an earlier case, he won substantial damages for Christopher Jefferies after press coverage incorrectly associated him with the murder of his tenant Joanna Yeates in 2010.
A year later he co-founded Hacked Off, the group campaigning for tighter media regulation, which he now chairs, and which has backers such as Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan.
Tomlinson was born in Woodhouse in Leeds where he went to Leeds Grammar School and then Balliol College, Oxford, leaving with the top first in PPE.
He then took up philosophical studies at Sussex University before going to the University of Paris in 1977. In 2000 he was a founding member of Matrix Chambers in London.
TEAM ROONEY
David Sherborne
Unlike Rebekah, Coleen arrived at court with just her husband and not an entourage of lawyers.
However, her legal team is just as impressive and versed in the world of celebrity as her fellow WAG’s.
David Sherborne, 53, who has been dubbed one of Hollywood’s favourite lawyers, is acting for Mrs Rooney.
He was lead counsel for victims of press intrusion in the Leveson inquiry, and represented Johnny Depp in his libel suit against The Sun. In November 2020, the High Court ruled that Depp had lost his case.
In September 2020, Sherborne was dropped from the Duchess of Sussex’s legal team in her case against The Mail on Sunday following an early setback.
Sherborne’s previous clients also include Princess Diana, Melania Trump, Sir Paul McCartney, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Harry Styles.
His father was a QC, but while he comes from a legal family, he is seen as a ‘rebel’ in many ways due to his apparent fondness for the limelight.
A former colleague told The Times: ‘He likes to present a fun, outgoing persona and is very limelight-seeking. All the other barristers in chambers were hyper-critical of him breaking the rules.’
While he’s known for rubbing shoulders with A-listers, Tattler and Evening Standard both commented he is ‘so handsome’ he could be a celebrity himself.
The twice-married barrister was revealed to be having an affair with a member of Lord Leveson’s junior counsel, Carine Patry Hoskins in 2013-.
Ms Hoskins, dubbed the ‘thinking man’s Pippa Middleton’ -was Lord Leveson’s number two, while Mr Sherborne was defending Hugh Grant and other hacking victims.
Ben Hamer
There was a rare moment of light relief amidst the morning’s fierce cross-examination when Mr Sherborne mentioned that his junior, Ben Hamer, 29, was ‘very adept at searching online through social media on his phone.’
Rebekah shot back, without smiling: ‘I know, Mr Hamer follows me on Twitter’ to laughter in the court.
But this isn’t Ben’s first celebrity case. He’s previously Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard and acted for the claimant in Blackledge v Person(s) Unknown where libel and harassment damages of £70,000 were awarded against the Defendant.
The Durham University graduate was first called to the Bar in 2017 at Lincoln’s Inn, where he was a Lord Bowen and Lord Denning scholar.
Very accomplished at a young age, he’s previously was presented with the Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize for his work on free speech and fake news.
He now provides pre-publication advice to various publications such as The Times and The Sunday Times as well as HarperCollins and Bloomsbury publishers. He is security cleared to SC level.
Ben began as a tenant at 5RB after successful completion of pupillage at Chambers. His supervisors were Adam Wolanski QC, Jonathan Barnes QC, Richard Munden and Adam Speker QC.
Ben was called to the Bar in 2017 at Lincoln’s Inn, where he was a Lord Bowen and Lord Denning scholar.
In 2017, Ben was presented with the Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize, run in conjunction with the Daily Telegraph, for his writing on free speech, social media and ‘fake news’. As an undergraduate, he edited Palatinate, where he won the Hunter Davies Prize for Student Journalism.
THE JUDGE
Mrs Justice Steyn
The High Court judge overseeing the case, Mrs Justice Steyn (pictured right) was appointed in 2019 and sits in the Queen’s Bench Division – the part of the High Court which deals with defamation, personal injury and breach of contract claims.
As well as overseeing the ‘Wagatha Christie’ claim, other prominent cases she has heard include Arron Banks’ libel claim against journalist Carole Cadwalladr and the FDA union’s unsuccessful legal challenge over Boris Johnson’s decision to support Priti Patel following bullying accusations.
The daughter of former Law Lord Lord Steyn, Mrs Justice Steyn covered a variety of cases as a barrister, including a case over the expansion of Heathrow airport.
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