Thread by @AdamCrafton_

£40,000 of student debt and ten years in sports journalism has brought me to today’s career high. It’s…. Vardy v Rooney at the High Court. 🧵of highlights and lowlights and all relevant chipolata sausages to follow.

Vardy under cross-examination, David Sherborne, barrister, is arguing that Vardy and her agent tipped off a paparazzi photographer that England WAGS were heading to a restaurant for dinner at WC 2018. She says she did not.

He then argues that Vardy was concerned the other girls wanted to post a photograph of the occasion on Instagram, which meant Vardy and her agent were worried they would lose the exclusive deal for the photographer. She says that's not true.

"Why are you pulling a face, Mrs. Vardy?" asks Sherborne, after he says he will provide some evidence from Harpreet Robertson, who was family liaison officer at the Football Association. Vardy replies: "Because it is Robertson"

Robertson's evidence claimed that Maguire's girlfriend Fern commented she was embarrassed and had not expected to be put in that position. Vardy says Fern posted her own images of the evening.

Vardy says “If I’m completely honest I had been drinking quite a bit" on the day in question.

We are now onto a possible interview that Vardy's agent sought to organise for her with a Sun journalist. Says "the easy shit" she needed to say was how they were having a great time out in Russia but don't want to take attention away from the "boys".

Rooney's lawyer Sherborne argues the FA were worried that partners "would be drawing too much attention as they had done before." I can't comment on the FA's position, says Vardy.

Lawyer Sherborne asks if Vardy remembers "the easy shit" the Sun journalist wanted her to say about having a great time. Vardy replies: "If I am honest, I can't remember this at all." Sherborne: "I would rather you be honest, (given you are) in a witness box of a court".

We are now onto a different Sun story, an interview with Vardy at the World Cup in Russia, where she hinted, the Sun said, that sex had not been banned. Vardy said: There’s nothing scientifically proven to say that hinders performance. If anything it probably excels performance.”

probably an intriguing piece to be done on the science of sex in relation to sporting performance, to be fair. Come for the court snippets, leave with editorial inspiration

Now we go to National TV awards Jan 2019, where Vardy says she was guest of The Sun in their special box. She posted photo with Dan Wootton (then of The Sun, now GB News). Sherborne says: “You say you weren’t v friendly with him, despite him (since) coming out in support of you”

The focus here is on a story in The Sun about Coleen Rooney crashing her Honda car in January 2019 a couple of days after the NTA awards where Vardy had been a guest of The Sun and the journalist who wrote the story was in attendance. She denies providing the story.

Vardy agent, Caroline Watt, wrote to her to say “Halls (Sun Journo) is trying to do a story on Coleen crashing her car but her PA won’t even reply. I’ve told him I’m 100% confident it happened.”

Rooney’s lawyer says that Vardy replied by saying: “she defo did”

On her private Instagram after the car crash story, Coleen Rooney posted “Someone on here is selling stories again to this scum of a paper”. Rooney’s barrister says he won’t be going into his client’s views of the newspaper.

Vardy denies that she was the source of the story that appeared in The Sun.

Rooney’s lawyer, referencing how Rebekah Vardy’s agent’s phone ended up in North Sea, says, “these messages are in Davy Jones’s locker aren’t they.”

Vardy says to the judge. “Who is Davy Jones? I don’t know who that is.”

We now have some messages between Vardy and Rooney, before the big alleged reveal, where Vardy starts asking Rooney whether she had managed to identify the person leaking the stories. Vardy asked Rooney whether she had been through all her followers or if it might be hacking.

Rooney’s lawyer suggests Vardy was 🎣 for info, which she denies. We now pause for lunch. Back at 1400.

Now we are back in session, and turning to the essential point of “the pyjama article”

Nope, barrister got a little mixed up. We are in fact turning to an “exclusive” story in The Sun, where Coleen Rooney was said to have “swigged a bottle of plonk” while riding a bicycle during a “bash” at Soho Farmhouse to celebrate Wayne Rooney’s return to the U.K.

This followed a post on Coleen’s Instagram where she was riding a bicycle with wine in view. Rooney’s lawyer suggests Vardy passed the info to The Sun, which she denies, saying another 253 other people would have seen the Instagram post.

Vardy accused by Rooney's lawyer of using the anniversary of the passing of Coleen Rooney sister, Rosie, as a way to message her to try and understand why Rooney had blocked her on Instagram.

The court hears that Vardy texted her agent to say: "I've messaged her x It's delivered. I swear she better not c**t me off." Vardy has now left the courtroom, appearing very upset, after her lawyer complained Rooney's barrister had been making personal digs during questioning.

We have a short pause therefore in proceedings on Day 3. Wayne Rooney still present, watching on beside his wife Coleen.

We go again. Rebekah Vardy returns to the witness box.

We are now onto the "flooded basement story". But not before Rooney's lawyer says there was a text from Vardy to her agent, Caroline Watt, to say there had been a post on Rooney's insta in which it looked like one of Rooney's kids was in the car without a seatbelt on.

By now, Rooney's lawyer says the only person who could see Rooney's posts was Vardy (we are approaching the epic crescendo of Wagatha's work...). The Sun published the "flooded basement story". This was a false story planted by Rooney to lure in a possible suspect.

Vardy is now in tears again and we have another emergency break. Vardy says she suffered a lot of abuse at the time of the topic being discussed.

It's not getting any more flattering for poor old Wayne is in these cartoons (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

We have now turned to discussion of Rita Mahrez, who Rooney's barrister says is the wife of Jamie Vardy's former team-mate Riyad Mahrez. Rebekah interjects: "I'm not sure his (Riyad's) pregnant girlfriend would agree that. Rita is now his ex-wife."

From Rita Mahrez, to Kim Hart (Joe Hart wife), court now hears about The Sun's Secret Wag column. Kim Hart upset after Secret Wag column said "she looks like she's made of wax". The column also made comments about partners of Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford.

Rooney's barrister appears to be insinuating Vardy played a significant role in these columns. She is asked if these women written about are in her social circle. "They are not in the same circle. Some of these people I have never even met," Vardy replies

Vardy firmly denies she was the Secret WAG, despite Rooney's barrister pointing out that Kim Hart previously wrote to Vardy to say 'people are saying that you are the secret WAG'.

Vardy says she had organised a "My Body, My Bump" initiative with the Mirror, "which was pulled as a result of Mrs. Rooney's post".

The judge asks how much longer Rooney's barrister intends to examine Vardy. He says it will be until 430pm, after which you can all get some work done.

Rooney's barrister sets out how there are no messages left on Vardy's phone from before October 15, 2019, between her and (agent) Ms. Watt. Vardy says they were lost when she exported the conversation to her solicitors.

Rooney's barrister notes even Vardy's "expert" has described it as 'somewhat surprising'. Camp Rooney's expert say it indicates someone manually deleted this.

The barrister asks if Vardy realises she is being accused of deletion. "With respect, I have been accused of a lot of things," Vardy says.

Rooney's barrister says that "apparently the laptop you used for the export process, which may hold the key, is broken apparently"

Vardy replies: "It's been broken for a long time, I don't have it anymore."

Barrister: "Let's turn to Bundle F......."

Camp Rooney asked for inspection of the laptop in question. The response they got, according to Rooney's barrister, is a delayed reveal because Rebekah Vardy cannot locate her Bundle C folder where the correspondence can be seen. Cliffhanger!

Back on track. Rooney's solicitor wrote: "The alleged fact that the laptop no longer functions and that your expert is unable to retrieve the lost media is no reason to prevent the matter being forensically examined to ensure all evidence is before the court."

But then team Rooney receives this letter: "With regards to our client's laptop, this is no longer in her possession. She has disposed of it because it had been damaged beyond repair and it is therefore not possible to inspect the laptop."

In March 2022, Camp Rooney was told for the first time the Vardy laptop was not only broken but also disposed of. Rooney's barrister says Vardy was warned to keep everything but says she still disposed of the a relevant laptop.

Rooney's barrister asks what has happened to messages between October 15 2019 and July 25 2020 between Vardy and agent Watt, which disappeared from her phone. "I can only imagine I switched phones at that point," Vardy says. (These are separate to the laptop & North Sea, I think)

Just absolutely wild that Manchester United and England's record goalscorer is sitting here, for over five hours per day, taking all this in.

Rooney's barrister says he is conscious of the time - the judge nods - and allows him to conclude. Into extra time here, which I have to say if I'm moonlighting as a front-of-book journalist in a football-related case here.

That’s it for today. We heard at the end that that Caroline Watt, Vardy’s agent, “was filming a coastline" on a boat trip near Scotland when the boat hit a wave and she dropped her phone into the sea. See you tomorrow at 1030.

Little today round up here (there will of course be in-depth Athletic coverage upon the culmination) theathletic.com/news/wagatha-c…

#TheStageIsSet #Day4 #WAGATHA

Rebekah Vardy is back in the witness box. She is being asked how Instagram stories operate, just in case the judge does not know. Vardy says: “I don’t know how the algorithm of Instagram works, it automatically changes (from one story to the next.”

Vardy is being asked whether she would discuss Rooney’s private Instagram account with her agent Caroline Watt. “It was only after she blocked me and it became clear she was trying to target someone and posting fake stories,” Vardy says

We have returned to the subject of Peter Andre’s manhood (an interview where Vardy gave to the News of the World in which she compared his penis to a chipolata sausage)

Vardy says of the article: “There’s a lot of things that didn’t come out of my mouth, that were misrepresented, there are things I am deeply sorry for, it is one of my biggest regrets. I was very young. I have sent both him and his wife personal messages since.”

To be clear, Vardy is now being asked questions by her own lawyers, rather than cross examined by Rooney’s team, so it should be a less tearful experience today. Coleen Rooney herself expected on the stand this afternoon.

Vardy’s lawyer asks her about February 2, 2018 and a Sun piece where Rooney’s team had suggested that Vardy may have provided info to The Sun by saying “the lads are fuming” after Riyad Mahrez did not attend training amid interest from Manchester City, which she denies

Vardy’s lawyer appears to be painting a picture that this info was already widely known across several publications. She says she “absolutely did not” leak the information to The Sun about how the Leicester “lads” were fuming about Mahrez.

Now the story about Danny Drinkwater, which Vardy’s lawyer says she accepts this is a story she was prepared to give to the press. This is the story about Drinkwater, a former team mate of her husband, being arrested for drink driving. “Yes, for a moment, I did”

The court hears Rebekah Vardy sent Drinkwater a text message after the incident which included her saying to him: “What have you done? FFS Danny! 😮”

And, to be fair to Rebekah, there have been no shortage of people close to Chelsea saying “FFS Danny” in recent years

Vardy’s lawyer is asking about an England tournament, where it is suggested that Wayne Rooney told Jamie Vardy that it might be wise for Rebekah to keep a lower profile, which made news in The Independent. We now have conversations between Jamie & Rebekah Vardy and this is good…

Rebekah tells the court; “Jamie was quite angry actually, as he currently still is, as (he says) that conversation never happened. We had a conversation on FaceTime and he basically said it was a load of bollocks”.

He added: “No one said a word. (It was) probably the FA.”

Rebekah says of the alleged Wayne-Jamie talking to: “I thought the media were trying to stir up trouble and create scenarios which just weren’t existing and didn’t exist.”

Vardy is tearful. She is offered a ten minute break by the judge and accepts. Around half an hour of questioning from her own legal team left when we return.

Today I’m sat next to two ladies from the general public who are living their best lives and “fancied a day in London and why not pop along for the morning” to watch the case. They say they regret not bringing some sweets along as accompaniments.

We have restarted. Vardy became tearful recounting social media trolling. She is now saying that there were times her Instagram followed some accounts without her doing so. Vardy says she asked her agent if she had followed accounts when logged in, but she also said she had not.

Vardy asked what her state of mind was like when she exported messages from WhatsApp to her laptop (which were lost) after Coleen Rooney “post”. Vardy says: “Constant anxiety, panic attacks, and I was scared I was going to lose the baby". She denied deliberately deleting info.

Vardy’s lawyer is concluding here, thankfully. He asks her if at any stage she leaked info to The Sun. “No, I didn’t,” she replies.

Vardy’s lawyer asks how Vardy has found process of cross examination in the court? She says: “Exhausting, intimidating, I feel like I have been bullied and manipulated.” Close to tears, she says: “I have not done anything wrong; I want to clear my name, for my family & children.”

🚨 Coleen Rooney is now called to the stand and swears by almighty God to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Coleen says: “What i wanted was to stop the person leaking private stories about me to The Sun. I had put out warnings before. I was surprised myself how much interest it caused.”

Lawyer says “But you have millions of followers and you posted it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?”

Coleen replies… “To be honest with you….I’m sorry for using that phrase.” (Which is a great continuity gag, if intentional, on Vardy’s slip up yesterday)

Vardy’s lawyer is going down the route of suggesting Rooney caused abuse or trolling to Vardy with her post. She is asked whether she could have sought to stop the trolling. She says: “I’ve never been in a legal case before, I have gone under instructions from my legal team.”

Rooney says: “I don’t want to be here in court today but Mrs Vardy has brought me here. I was upset my personal info was passed onto a newspaper. I have put up with it for years but this was people I had accepted into my personal space giving info about me without my consent.”

Rooney says her brother controls her public social media accounts. She also says she is not paid for any posts, but says she recently had a facial treatment and posted to say it was good.

Rooney says: “Having looked at the material, it looks as though Mrs. Vardy knew a lot about what was going on. A lot of the stuff I had gathered, it was adding up. She was not in my immediate circle. I felt when she contacted me, it was always to get information out of me.“

She adds: “When things were in the press, it was a regular occurrence for Mrs Vardy to message me.”

We are hearing about a “pyjama story”, which had a picture of Wayne Rooney and the kids at a time where Coleen says she had been staying with her parents and her marriage was on the rocks. But the private Insta post led to a “Guess who’s back in the big bed” headline.

Coleen Rooney says: “There’d been a situation with my husband, which was wrongdoing by my husband, I was in a vulnerable situation at that time and didn’t know how that relationship would go.”

Coleen says living in America was a “terrible time” for her. She said she never believed in homesickness before but in America, she says “I cried every night, I couldn’t even face time my parents (because of the homesickness)”

Rooney planted 17 false posts over a two months period as part of her sting operation, of which two ended up in The Sun newspaper. It lasted from August-October and included a post about setting up an event company and another about a housewarming party. Which were fake posts.

We had an hour for lunch and now Coleen is on the stand for the rest of the afternoon in all likelihood. Vardy's lawyer argue Rooney does not have any evidence to establish it is Mrs Vardy who did the leaking.

Rooney replies: "I believe it has come from that account, as I've said all along, and Mrs Vardy knew this was happening, whether it was her or someone she gave permission to."

Vardy's lawyer goes for a football gag. "What you believe is not evidence," he tells Rooney, "You may believe Derby County will win the Premiership in two years time but it does not mean they are going to do it." (cc @FootballCliches )

We have heard about another one of Rooney's planted posts on her private Instagram, in which she suggested she would doing some TV work and the next week a story appeared in The Sun to say she was in talks to go on Strictly.

Vardy's lawyer points out that the fake post made reference to 'maybe it's time for Australia' in relation to TV work, so disputes that the post led to a story. Rooney says they just got the show wrong but that the post informed the story.

Rooney says: "I've been in the public eye for 20 years, I have become savvy to how journalists work, I hate gossip, I am not a gossip, it all added up to me that it came from her account."

We now hear about Peter Crouch's wife & model Abby Clancy, who on one occasion shared something from Rooney's private Instagram account. Rooney says that Clancy immediately reached out to apologise when she realised it was from her private Insta and says Clancy is a good example

Vardy's lawyer is questioning Rooney about her relationship with football agent Paul Stretford. Rooney says that she was papped as a 16-year-old and began receiving work offers. She says she is not contracted to Stretford but he, along with Ian Monk, has managed things for her.

After three hours of close observation, the two ladies who popped along for a day in London have headed out. Presumably to avoid peak time travel. Shrewd cookies.

We now hear about the time where Vardy said to have jiggled the seats so she could sit behind Coleen at a Euro 2016 England game so she could receive more coverage. Rooney says she later asked FA liaison if seats were moved around that day, & Harpreet Robertson confirmed it.

Slightly better one of Wayne today (PA cartoon)

Rooney's written witness statement says she tried on three occasions to resolve this matter amicably, but it was "in vain". She says: "I was of the view that the time, money, resources and efforts involved could be spent elsewhere, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Rooney says she thinks she had a quiet experience in the tabloids in 2018 because there was more publicity for Vardy after she went in the jungle in 2017. She adds: “I have no problem with anything Mrs Vardy wants to do… so long as it is nothing to do with me”

Rooney reveals the first contact she had with Vardy was to be invited to her wedding after Wayne and Jamie had played a few games together. Coleen says her and Wayne couldn’t make it but she sent a gift and received a thank you. Ok, I admit, my mind is numbing now.

Actually quite disappointed a tabloid paper hasn’t sent deep sea divers into the North Sea to recover Caroline Watt’s phone. Anyway, we now break for the weekend. And there ends my live coverage of this case. It will be @TimSpiers on Monday, and he’s far funnier.

Today’s essential @TheAthleticUK round up theathletic.com/news/wagatha-c…