Coleen Rooney’s barrister David Sherbone accused Rebekah Vardy, 40, of being a “leaker of others’ private information” at the start of their preliminary hearing.
The court heard that the proceedings taking place on Wednesday (April 13) would cover issues surrounding witness statements, disclosure of materials
Mr Sherbone started making an application for third party disclosure against News Group Newspapers LTD over communications between Mrs Vardy, her agent Caroline Watt and a number of journalists.
The barrister claimed Ms Vardy believed any disclosure order should be limited around articles about Mrs Rooney, 36, but Mr Sherbone said it “ignores” his client’s case.
(Image: Getty Images)
He added it was “wider than just Mrs Vardy leaking stories about Mrs Rooney either directly herself or through others under her instruction.”
Mr Sherborne said Mrs Vardy has an “established practice and history of leaking private information about others in particular to the Sun newspaper.”
He added: “She is a leaker of others’ private information”.
Sherborne claimed disclosure linked to Mrs Vardy had been hit by “a series of unfortunate events” labelling it “wholly unsatisfactory”.
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
He referenced Mrs Vardy’s expert downloading her data to inspect before forgetting the password used to encrypt the material.
He added: “So that material is now lost to us as well”.
Mr Sherborne explained his application for disclosure over alleged “close links” to journalists at The Sun was the “last resort”.
He told the court that Mrs Vardy argues the allegation that she has an “established history” of providing information in relation to others is “baseless and untrue”.
She has also denied providing information through others, Mr Sherborne said.
(Image: coleenrooney/Instagram)
The barrister said disclosed messages allegedly show that Mrs Vardy “doesn’t want to be seen” to be leaking messages, so her agent Caroline Watt was to be “the fall guy”.
He alleged there was a “pattern” of discussions between Mrs Vardy and Ms Watt that “then finds its way into The Sun”.
Adam Wolanksi QC, representing News Group Newspapers Limited, labelled the bid for disclosure from Sun journalists as a “fishing expedition”.
The ongoing court battle comes after Mrs Rooney accused Mrs Vardy of leaking “false stories” about her private life to the media in October 2019 after carrying out a months-long “sting operation”.
The trial is ongoing.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
