Coleen Rooney has come out fighting as her Wagatha Christie legal showdown with Rebekah Vardy finally kicks off today.
The Wag looked like she meant business after slinging a pair of boxing gloves over her shoulder following a workout near her Cheshire home.
Insiders say the 36-year-old is “convinced she’s right” over the defamation action launched by Vardy, 40, wife of Leicester City striker Jamie.
Coleen is being supported by husband Wayne, the England and Manchester United legend,
who will give a statement to the High Court.
A source claimed she offered a settlement six months ago, with both sides paying their own costs.
They added: “But Vardy refused unless there was an unconditional surrender from Coleen’s side.
“That is never going to happen. This is now a fight to the end but, whatever happens, Coleen believes she will always have the moral victory.”
As the trial that is set to grip the nation gets under way, we break down what we can expect.
What is the case about?
Coleen was dubbed Wagatha Christie when she claimed her fellow Wag had shared fake stories she had posted on her personal Instagram account with a newspaper.
Rooney posted: “I saved and screenshotted all the original stories which show just one person has viewed them… It’s Rebekah Vardy’s account.”
Vardy denies the accusations and is suing the mum-of-four for libel.
What Coleen has to prove?
A judge ruled in 2020 that Coleen’s post “clearly identified” Rebekah as being “guilty of the serious and consistent breach of trust”.
Under our defamation laws, the burden of proof will be on Coleen to prove her post was “substantially true”.
She will have to prove Rebekah was behind the leaks directly or she knew her agent Caroline Watt, may have been to blame.
What does Rebekah have to say?
Rebekah has always denied being the source behind the fake stories.
But in a dramatic development two weeks ago, Coleen’s lawyer says Vardy now “appears to accept” in a new witness statement that her agent may have been responsible for the leaked articles.
Rebekah’s camp have denied there has been “any change whatever in the pleaded case”.
What does her agent say?
Caroline Watt had been due to give evidence in the trial but was recently found to be “not fit” to take part, and also withdrew her written evidence.
Vardy’s lawyer said they “don’t know what the true position is in relation to Ms Watt… she’s not communicating with anybody.”
Team Vardy vs Team Rooney
Coleen has David Sherborne QC, in her camp, who has represented Johnny Depp and the Duchess of Sussex.
He is up against Hugh Tomlinson QC, whose previous clients include Prince Charles and football star Ryan Giggs.
As one legal expert joked: “Neither man likes losing.”
What is the evidence so far?
Coleen has yet to uncover the “smoking gun” despite the release of embarrassing WhatsApp messages, including one in which Vardy appeared to refer to Rooney as a “nasty b***h”.
Her camp claim they have been hit by the loss of Watt’s phone in the North Sea.
But court disclosures reveal Rebekah chatted with her agent about selling stories over a drink-driving incident involving footballer Danny Drinkwater.
Who will be the winner?
Experts say Vardy may have an edge before the trial but “it’s all to play for”
Rebekah’s rejection of Coleen’s “drop hands” settlement offer may suggest Vardy believes she can win the case and is ploughing on.
Some people would argue the only winners are the lawyers, with estimated legal costs a staggering £3million so far.
The key talking points
Sources say Rebekah’s camp may seize on the decision by Coleen and Wayne to invite Amazon Prime cameras into their home for a documentary.
They may claim Coleen’s decision to shine a light on their family life illustrates she is happy to put private details into the public domain, and that the hurt over the Instagram leaks was “overblown”.
