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Rebekah Vardy was dramatically accused of lying today after she blamed heavy drinking for failing to remember the details of a 2018 World Cup paparazzi photo she allegedly helped to set up – as the Wagatha Christie libel trial entered its third day.Â
The wife of Leicester striker Jamie Vardy has been accused of conspiring with her agent Carolien Watt to arrange for a photographer to wait outside a restaurant in St Petersburg where she and nine fellow WAGs were enjoying a meal.Â
She denied the claim this morning but, when asked for details by David Sherborne – acting for her rival Coleen Rooney – said:Â ‘If I’m completely honest I had been drinking quite a bit.’
Mr Sherborne replied: ‘Mrs Vardy, this is the first time that you have suggested that your recollection of events has been affected by drinking – that’s a lie, isn’t it?’ Â
The group of WAGs included Marcus Rashford’s girlfriend Lucia Loi, Kyle Walker’s partner Annie Kilner and Harry Maguire’s fiancee Fern Hawkins – who was left ‘upset and embarrassed’, the High Court previously heard.Â
Opening today’s case, Mr Sherborne joked Rebekah had been ‘saved by the bell’ after a brutal cross-examination that at one point reduced her to tears was cut short by a fire alarm yesterday. Â
The case centres around a 2019 social media post by Coleen in which she said she had planted fake stories on her private Instagram account and accused Rebekah of leaking them to The Sun newspaper.
Rebekah denied the claim, and launched a libel case when Coleen refused to take down the post.
This morning, Rebekah stepped out of a black Mercedes van with tinted windows as she arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice carrying a £650 Aspinal of London and wearing a blue and white patterned dress under a blue blazer.Â
Earlier, Coleen walked up to the court steps alongside her husband Wayne in his signature navy suit with a leather bag containing a bulging file. She was dressed all in black and carrying a Chanel handbag.

Rebekah was once again accompanied by a security team as she entered the High Court for another day at the witness standÂ

Coleen, dressed all in black and carrying a Chanel handbag, looked relaxed as she stepped out of a black cab with her husband Wayne behind in his signature navy suit with a leather handbag containing a bulging file

Today, Rebekah denied setting up this 2018 paparazzi photo. It was taken outside a restaurant in St Petersburg and features, from left to right:Â Millie Savage, Gemma Acton, Megan Davison, Rebekah Vardy, Annabelle Peyton, Fern Hawkins, Shannon Horlock, Annie Kilner and Lucia Loi

The Rooneys smiled for the cameras as they walked up to the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice to be greeted by a throng of photographers Â

Rebekah arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice wearing a blue and white patterned dress under a blue blazer
Rebekah, who is married to Leicester City star Jamie, yesterday admitted she had been willing to leak a story about his teammate Danny Drinkwater’s arrest for drink-driving.
The court heard a series of WhatsApp exchanges between her and her agent Caroline Watt, in which Rebekah said: ‘Story… Danny Drinkwater arrested… crashed his car drunk with [two] girls in it… I want paying for this.’
Rebekah said she had contacted The Sun but the newspaper already knew about the arrest, and Mrs Vardy replied: ‘Holy f***… I am fuming that I didn’t give this to you earlier.’ Ms Watt said: ‘Me too, that would have been a fortune.’
Asked yesterday if she had wanted payment for leaking the information to The Sun, Rebekah said it was a ‘fleeting thought’ and denied it was part of a regular pattern in which she instructed Ms Watt to leak stories for payment.
She insisted the Mr Drinkwater episode was a one-off because she found drink-driving abhorrent. The player later admitted drink-driving and received a driving ban.
Lawyer David Sherborne, for Coleen, said: ‘Despite him being one of your circle, you were prepared to pass on private information about him?’ Rebekah replied: ‘Yes, on that occasion, because of his behaviour.’
Coleen, who wore a £32.99 patterned Zara dress and Chanel shoes, watched intently as Rebekah gave her evidence, and scribbled notes in a pad. Rebekah opted for a £1,847 Prada black dress, a £1,245 McQueen jacket and a £1,650 Givenchy handbag.
She was asked about her messages with Ms Watt about an Instagram story involving damage to Coleen’s car.
Ms Watt messaged her on WhatsApp, asking if Coleen had crashed her Honda. Rebekah replied: ‘She defo has… Go in the Instagram.’
She denied she was effectively telling her agent to access Coleen’s private Instagram, which she was able to view using Rebekah’s account.

Rebekah – pictured today – continued to give evidence after her gruelling five-hour cross-examination was cut short by a fire alarm yesterday afternoon

Coleen leaving her London hotel earlier this morning – still wearing an orthopaedic boot on her left leg following an accident at homeÂ


Coleen left the hotel holding a coffee and an iPhone in a pink case, while her husband Wayne carried a leather handbag with a file inside. Both smiled for the photographersÂ
Ms Watt messaged again, saying: ‘I would have tried to have done a story on Coleen but the evidence has been deleted.’
Mr Sherborne said Rebekah and her agent maintained a ‘constant commentary’ about posts by Coleen, and claimed they were monitoring her Instagram for nuggets of information to leak.
Rebekah denied doing so, saying she and Ms Watt were just old friends who enjoyed gossiping.
The Sun later ran an article about Coleen’s car, and she blocked Rebekah on her Instagram, suspicious someone was leaking information about her.
WhatsApp messages showed Rebekah questioning why Coleen had blocked her, saying: ‘She thinks it’s me that’s been doing stories on her!… That **** needs to get over herself.’
Rebekah denied she had leaked information about Coleen, or instructed Ms Watt to do so.
But she was asked about a series of WhatsApp exchanges with Ms Watt in which they did appear to discuss leaking information.     Â
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 MailOnlineÂ
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…Â
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.Â
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.Â
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. Â
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 QCÂ
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 ROONEYÂ
David Sherborne Â
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.

David Sherborne, 53, who has been dubbed one of Hollywood’s favourite lawyers, is acting for Mrs Rooney.
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’Â 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.Â
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.Â
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.
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