Disgraced WAG Rebekah Vardy has been ordered to pay trial rival Coleen Rooney approximately £1.5 million in legal costs.
This news comes after footballer Jamie Vardy's wife lost her libel case trial to fellow WAG Coleen, wife of England legend Wayne Rooney. The seven-day blockbuster trial was infamously dubbed the Wagatha Christie case.
As reported by the Mirror, Rebekah launched legal proceedings against Coleen in 2020 after the fellow socialite accused Vardy of leaking "false stories" about her private life to the press. However, the two-and-a-half-year feud was ended just a week after Mrs Justice Steyn ruled in Coleen's favour.
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In a statement today, Mrs Justice Steyn noted that the total legal bill - which is yet to be finalised by Coleen with the court - was estimated to be in the range of £1,667,860.48, as reported by Coleen's lawyer, Paul Lunt.
Rebekah has been ordered to pay £800,000 within six weeks and to pay 90 per cent of the costs, which are yet to be revealed.
Mrs Vardy will also have to pay costs incurred by seven journalists who were potential witnesses but did not give evidence. This is apart from a portion of the journalist's costs which Coleen has been ordered to pay.
Mrs Justice Steyn explained that she had done "the best" she could to "estimate the likely level of recovery," but while bearing in mind that Defendant had not yet produced a bill, the cost would be around £800,000.
She wrote of Rebekah's action: "The claim has been dismissed. The defendant succeeded in establishing that the essence of the libel was substantially true."
The judgement also ruled that Coleen wanted 100 per cent of her costs paid, but Rebekah wanted to pay 80 per cent. The document goes on to state that the defendant had originally sought payment of £1.25million but this figure was later dropped to £1million.
Coleen incurred total costs of more than £2 million, but £350,000 of those had already been racked up before the trial in May, so those were removed to produce a final figure of £1,667,860.
Rebekah has argued that she should not be made to pay the full costs, due to three matters during which she was deemed successful - including that of the 'Secret WAG' newspaper column.
She also argued that the 'reveal post' by Coleen caused severe harm, and argued against the defendants claim that the post was in the public interest.
The total amount of Rebekah's own legal costs is not known, but is expected to be of a similar eye-watering level to that of Coleen's.
A statement from Coleen's lawyer, Paul Lunt at Brabners issued to The Mirror read: "The High Court has today decided that Rebekah Vardy must pay Coleen Rooney's legal costs on an indemnity basis - the highest basis that the Court could order.
"The reasoning given for this decision is that there was a finding at trial that Rebekah Vardy had deliberately deleted or destroyed evidence. That behaviour falls outside the ordinary and reasonable conduct expected of a party in legal proceedings.
"This followed a separate finding regarding the loss of evidence that was in the possession of Rebekah Vardy's former agent, Caroline Watt.
"Coleen's pursuit of that evidence is a major reason why her legal costs increased substantially from the original estimates given to the court long before the start of the trial.
"Rebekah Vardy has been ordered to pay £800,000 to Coleen Rooney by 15 November as an interim payment until the final total she must pay is either agreed or decided upon by the court.
"Naturally, Rebekah will also be responsible for her own legal costs of bringing her failed libel action against Coleen.
"Today's decision also makes Rebekah liable to pay for legal costs incurred by certain journalists from News UK, publishers of The Sun newspaper, following her unsuccessful efforts to involve them in the proceedings."
In the original news, Coleen had sensationally claimed in an Instagram post that Rebekah had leaked several false stories to the British press, including claims the basement of her Cheshire home had flooded and Coleen was planning a return to television work.
Rebekah has always denied that she passed on any information, but thanks to the High Court, Coleen effectively won the battle of the WAGs.
Following the judgement, Rebekah expressed her disappointment in the verdict.
The former Dancing On Ice contestant claimed Mrs Justice "didn't understand the case," and "didn't look at everything", before going on to claim that she "just read what was written in the media."
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