Coleen Rooney ‘disappointed’ Rebekah Vardy suing her for libel

Rebekah Vardy has issued a claim of libel against Coleen Rooney over their widely publicised social media fallout, nicknamed the Wagatha Christie scandal.

Rooney is being sued for allegedly publishing false statements that were damaging to Vardy’s reputation.

Rooney accused Vardy of leaking news about her to the tabloid press using information gleaned from following Rooney’s private Instagram account.

Court listings show that Vardy filed a claim for “defamation – libel and slander” to the High Court on 12 June.

Rooney’s legal team said she felt the “time and money could be put to better use”.

Paul Lunt, of Brabners, said: “It is disappointing that Mrs Vardy has chosen to issue court proceedings. Coleen feels that the time and money involved could be put to better use; her offer to meet face to face still stands. Mrs Vardy’s decision to issue court proceedings does at least mean that Coleen’s evidence can be made public when the time is right.”

The combined legal fees are set to cost up to £1m, The Sun, which found itself at the centre of the original dispute between the celebrities, reported.

Rooney, an author and TV presenter who is married to former England football captain Wayne Rooney, singled out “Rebekah Vardy’s account” for apparently selling the stories.

In a post on Twitter in October, Rooney wrote: “For a few years now someone who I trusted to follow me on my personal Instagram account has been consistently informing The Sun newspaper of my private posts and stories.

“There has been so much information given to them about me, my friends and my family – all without my permission or knowledge.”

“To try and prove this I came up with an idea,” she continued. “I blocked everyone from viewing my Instagram stories except one account. (Those on my private account must have been wondering why I haven’t had stories on there for a while.)

“Over the past five months I have posted a series of false stories to see if they made their way into The Sun newspaper. And you know what, they did.”

Rooney concluded: “It’s been tough keeping it to myself and not making any comment at all, especially when the stories have been leaked, however I had to. Now I know for certain which account/individual it’s come from.

“I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them. It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account.”

However, Vardy, a model who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, categorically denied that she had ever gone to the press about Rooney, even though she had been contacted by reporters on numerous occasions.

Vardy also suggested that her account may have been accessed in the past by other people.

In a response addressing Rooney directly, Vardy wrote: “If you thought this was happening you could have told me and I could have changed my passwords to see if it stopped.”

“Over the years various people have had access to my Insta and just this week I found I was following people I didn’t know and have never followed myself. I’m not being funny but I don’t need the money, what would I gain from selling stories on you?

“I liked you a lot Coleen and I’m so upset that you have chosen to do this, especially when I’m heavily pregnant. I’m disgusted that I’m even having to deny this.”

Vardy’s legal team has been approached for comment.