Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,760
This programme
contains strong language.
2
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,280
I saw Coleen's post
which said I'd leaked to The Sun
3
00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,880
soon after it was published
on the 9th October 2019.
4
00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:12,600
It came as a great shock to me.
5
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,760
I could not believe that
Coleen had not called me before
6
00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,280
posting this accusation to
the world.
7
00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,800
My concerns were that
I would not faint,
8
00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:26,920
have a panic attack or
stop breathing.
9
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:29,880
I started to get really hot
10
00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,280
and suffered from
strange palpitations.
11
00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,080
Loads of messages started coming
12
00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,920
through on my mobile phone calling
me names.
13
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,560
"Fucking rat", "fucking bitch."
14
00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,440
"Who sells their friends out?"
15
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:49,760
I was heavily pregnant
16
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,840
and I panicked that
the baby was in danger.
17
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,720
I made myself calm down
and tried to think clearly.
18
00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,600
I knew there must have been a
mistake.
19
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:06,320
A very public row has broken
20
00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,240
out between the wives
of two high profile footballers.
21
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,200
She conducted an undercover
sting operation.
22
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,040
Feels like the start
of something quite explosive.
23
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:19,520
Colleen Rooney taking
the witness box for
24
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,640
the very first time on day four
of this trial.
25
00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,080
In fact, it's the first time she has
ever spoken publicly about this case at all.
26
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:27,200
Coleen Rooney's defence as
27
00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,400
to what she said is that she's
telling the truth
28
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,000
and it was Rebekah Vardy behind
those leaks,
29
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:32,880
and if she can prove that then
she's fine,
30
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,400
but if she can't,
then she could lose this trial.
31
00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,080
By the time Vardy finished
her testimony,
32
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,160
many thought this trial was over.
33
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,280
But, this couldn't have been further
from the truth.
34
00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:03,600
Vardy's team began one of
35
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,280
the most extraordinary fight
backs over
36
00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:07,520
the next three days,
37
00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,480
and their target would be
Coleen Rooney herself.
38
00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:16,160
My Lady, Mrs Vardy has been
the subject of an untrue
39
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,760
and unjustified defamatory attack.
40
00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,320
Really, it is a very simple case.
41
00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,840
Has Mrs Rooney proved that
Mrs Vardy leaked
42
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,240
the information from her post that
she's accused of leaking?
43
00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,840
Mrs Vardy has made mistakes
44
00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,480
and trusted someone she shouldn't
have trusted.
45
00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,720
But, there is a glaring absence
of evidence.
46
00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,200
Mrs Rooney couldn't possibly be
certain that it was Mrs Vardy.
47
00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,680
And yet, she made that accusation.
48
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:16,880
Mrs Rooney...
49
00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,320
..can you get out
the bundle that says D1?
50
00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:28,880
That is the post that you put up on
9th October 2019,
51
00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,920
What were you trying
52
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,920
to achieve by putting that post up,
Mrs Rooney?
53
00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,200
I wasn't trying to achieve anything.
54
00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,880
What I wanted to do was to stop
55
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,760
the person leaking my private
information to The Sun.
56
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,240
I gave out warning signs many a time
57
00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,920
but it didn't stop so, this was my
last resort.
58
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,640
But, by putting it up in that way
you obviously knew that it was
59
00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,800
going to cause a massive impact
across millions of people, correct?
60
00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,840
No. Even I was surprised at how much
impact it caused.
61
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,520
Well, you have millions
of followers on social media.
62
00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:12,760
Yeah, I do.
63
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:14,440
And it must have been obvious
64
00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,160
to you that putting this up
would lead
65
00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,000
to Mrs Vardy being abused,
wasn't it?
66
00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,320
No.
67
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,440
That wasn't my intention at all.
68
00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:28,720
Not at all.
69
00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,640
I would not ever, it's not in
my nature
70
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,760
to cause abuse or trolling in any
way at all.
71
00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,040
I knew it would obviously
cause attention
72
00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,000
but I never thought it would be as
big as it has gone,
73
00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,640
and I did not think I'd be sitting
here today.
74
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:55,040
It's, yeah, it's a lot bigger than
what I ever thought or intended it to do.
75
00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,640
It was three years earlier when
76
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,240
Rooney first became convinced
that one
77
00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:04,520
of her private Instagram followers
was leaking stories on her.
78
00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,600
She had no idea who it was
and little to go on.
79
00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,080
Vardy's team now sought
to prove that it was unfair
80
00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,040
to suspect Vardy so early on.
81
00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,400
I'd like to take you now
82
00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:25,560
to this you published this cry
of rage, or complaint.
83
00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:30,760
I was upset that my personal
information was getting passed on to a newspaper.
84
00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,800
And then you decide to review
the accounts
85
00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:58,840
of your followers on your private
Instagram account, is that right? Yeah.
86
00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,720
Some of these are
obviously relatives?
87
00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,760
Yeah, relatives, friends.
88
00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:10,080
And you decide that Mrs Vardy stands
out.
89
00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:12,600
Is that right?
90
00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,320
Yes.
91
00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,320
Becky's account was
the one that stood out
92
00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,200
to me at that time for me for
a number of reasons.
93
00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,600
A, I knew that Becky often featured
prominently in
94
00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:26,960
the Exclusive articles with The Sun.
95
00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,640
I always got the impression that no
topic was ever off
96
00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,360
the table as far as
Becky was concerned.
97
00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,760
I remember that Wayne ended up
having to have a word
98
00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,080
with Jamie to ask him to speak
to Becky
99
00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,480
because her media activity
was causing
100
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,320
a distraction at Euro 2016
in France.
101
00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,080
B, Becky stuck out to me as someone
who actively wanted
102
00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:48,200
to be famous.
103
00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,320
I've been involved in
football circles
104
00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:52,680
for around 20 years.
105
00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,840
I've come across different types
of footballers' partners,
106
00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,720
some of them enjoy and seek
the limelight.
107
00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:05,800
C, I always thought about
Becky's relationship with me.
108
00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:08,560
I thought she was trying
a bit too hard.
109
00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,200
She would message me out of
the blue.
110
00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,760
I got the overarching impression
that she was trying to be close to me
111
00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,720
because she thought that doing
so might help her own interests.
112
00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:26,120
So, you've got three pieces
of..."evidence."
113
00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:32,680
You've got some exclusives
with The Sun,
114
00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,800
you've got desire to be famous,
115
00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,720
and you've got the fact that she
116
00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,440
sends you messages you think
are odd? Yes.
117
00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,840
You look at the rest
of your followers and you think,
118
00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:50,240
"These are all absolutely
delightful people."
119
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,480
With the others, I feel like I've
got a perfectly fine relationship.
120
00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,920
I mean, there's a reason why I
thought it was Rebekah Vardy,
121
00:07:57,960 --> 00:07:59,520
I didn't just pluck her from
thin air.
122
00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,880
Well, Mrs Rooney,
I am not making this up.
123
00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,480
I'm just summarising your
witness statement.
124
00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:11,840
But, there are more than 300
followers on this
125
00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,760
Instagram account, aren't there?
Yes.
126
00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,360
Some of them are businesses?
127
00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,760
Yes. There's Puro organic juice.
Yes.
128
00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,800
Kathryn's designer kids. Yes.
129
00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,000
Strawberry Childrenswear.
130
00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,600
That's a friend of mine who owns
a shop in Liverpool.
131
00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,640
Obviously some of them will have
employees
132
00:08:35,680 --> 00:08:38,720
who will operate their accounts.
133
00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,360
Yeah, but I trust them
to be on my account.
134
00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,800
Puro juice is just one girl who does
her own juices from home.
135
00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,040
And Kathryn, well,
Kathryn I've known for years.
136
00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,120
These are all small
local businesses.
137
00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,360
You can hope that they will respect
your wishes
138
00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:04,080
and keep your posts confidential,
but you don't know, do you?
139
00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:10,120
No, but, I agree, yeah but,
I've accepted these on my trust.
140
00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:11,760
But you can't guarantee it?
141
00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:14,000
No.
142
00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:22,320
And, although your suspicions have
focused on Mrs Vardy,
143
00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,200
you can't be sure that someone else
isn't responsible?
144
00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,680
I believe that the account is
the one that was responsible.
145
00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,640
That wasn't the question I asked.
Sorry.
146
00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:39,200
I didn't ask what you believed.
I asked whether you could be sure.
147
00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:50,240
Yes. I do believe it came from
her account.
148
00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,920
Can you look at Bundle D, page 42?
149
00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,480
This is a WhatsApp exchange between
you and Rachel Monk?
150
00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:04,560
Yes.
151
00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,840
But, we don't have your
WhatsApp messages, do we?
152
00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,480
No, no, no.
153
00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:15,760
Why is that?
154
00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,240
That's because I changed my
phone over
155
00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:20,800
and my WhatsApp wouldn't download
156
00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:25,120
so that's why Rachel produced hers
and I never did mine.
157
00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,040
You didn't deliberately delete
your WhatsApp?
158
00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,120
No, I never,
I've got no reason to delete.
159
00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,360
You see, when this happens to Mrs
Vardy,
160
00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,400
it's apparently a plot
to delete relevant evidence.
161
00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,400
But, when it happens to you,
162
00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,760
it's just one of those things that
happens in
163
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,280
the ordinary course of events.
164
00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,200
You're complaining here
165
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,840
to Rachel Monk that something has
come from your Instagram.
166
00:10:58,320 --> 00:10:59,440
Yes.
167
00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:00,720
You say to her this.
168
00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,120
This is the true position.
169
00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:31,480
You had suspected Rebekah Vardy from
the start.
170
00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,600
She was the suspicious one
171
00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,520
and you're not paying any attention
to anybody else?
172
00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:40,280
No, I did pay attention,
173
00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,760
but there is no-one else on my
private Instagram that was in
174
00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,200
a position to give this
information over to The Sun.
175
00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:48,760
And then she replied.
176
00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:05,360
There's a section in your witness
statement headed
177
00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,760
"Desire to be famous."
178
00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:12,840
How is that evidence that she was
leaking from your private
179
00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,320
Instagram account?
180
00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:19,120
That's not, but my view was that she
wanted to be kept relevant.
181
00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,400
I felt like what she got back from
giving my Instagram post was
182
00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:24,480
to get press attention.
183
00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,760
Mrs Rooney, there isn't a shred
184
00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,040
of evidence that it was
Mrs Vardy, is there?
185
00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,000
Well, it was someone on my
Instagram account,
186
00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,080
and I believe it was Rebekah Vardy.
187
00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:55,800
On day six of the trial,
188
00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,560
Wayne Rooney was sensationally asked
to take the stand.
189
00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,200
This was the moment we'd all been
waiting for.
190
00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:08,240
He was in the witness box
191
00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,880
because Coleen had used something
that he had told her as evidence
192
00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,000
of Vardy's general hunger for fame.
193
00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,920
Vardy's team demanded a chance
to test the honesty of his claim.
194
00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,600
Good morning, Mr Rooney. Morning.
195
00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:36,880
You were the England captain during
the 2016 Euros? I was.
196
00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,560
And Mr Jamie Vardy was also one of
the England squad?
197
00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:44,480
He was.
198
00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,840
I was asked to speak
to my teammate Jamie Vardy about
199
00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,680
the fact that Becky's media
activities were causing problems
200
00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,280
and distractions which
the FA wanted to avoid.
201
00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,960
And as with all England tournaments,
there was a lot
202
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,280
of media attention on what was going
on with the players
203
00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:09,080
and also their wives,
girlfriends, partners and so on?
204
00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:11,080
There was.
205
00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:17,320
Which member of
206
00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:22,320
the FA staff asked you to speak
to Mr Vardy?
207
00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,680
It was the England manager,
Roy Hodgson,
208
00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:28,920
and his assistant manager,
Gary Neville.
209
00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,200
What did they say to you?
210
00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,760
So, they asked me,
would I be able to speak
211
00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,720
to Mr Vardy on issues regarding
his wife.
212
00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,440
We all knew it was an awkward
subject, so, I agreed.
213
00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,840
And really to ask him
to ask his wife to calm down.
214
00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,720
"To ask his wife to calm down."
215
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,560
I mean, she wasn't dancing on
tables,
216
00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,960
what kind of calming down are we
talking about, Mr Rooney?
217
00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,880
No, she wasn't,
as far as I was aware.
218
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,680
But, there was a lot of negativity
and a lot of media coverage.
219
00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,520
You've been in this
court throughout,
220
00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,920
Mr Rooney, supporting your wife.
221
00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:18,200
You've seen documents referred
to where Mrs Vardy was asking her
222
00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,280
husband whether it was true that
you'd spoken to him?
223
00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,960
Yeah. And he'd said no.
224
00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:28,800
Yeah, I'm aware of that.
225
00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,920
And do you remember
a time when you were with him
226
00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:37,800
and he was Facetiming his wife who
was asking him "is it right that
227
00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,000
"Wayne's been told to tell you off?"
228
00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:42,400
And he said no.
229
00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,240
And then he got you on
230
00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,560
the screen and you said
the same thing to her.
231
00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,480
I don't recall that conversation
ever taking place.
232
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,920
I know I spoke to Jamie Vardy 100%.
233
00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,920
Whether Jamie goes on
to give that information
234
00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:03,560
to his wife,
that's entirely his business.
235
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,240
If he didn't tell his wife,
that's down to him.
236
00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,440
All I done was carry out
the instruction.
237
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,840
Do you remember when you
238
00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,240
and Jamie spoke to
a journalist from The Sun about
239
00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,200
the supposed telling off?
No, I don't.
240
00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,680
You told the journalist from
The Sun that it was rubbish.
241
00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,360
I don't recall, but as England
captain I would always try
242
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,960
and protect the players in
the public as much as I can,
243
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:31,240
to entitle the players to have
244
00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,640
the best chance of being successful
on the pitch.
245
00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:35,600
You see, Mr Rooney,
246
00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,840
I am suggesting that you're wrong
about that,
247
00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,040
that you didn't actually raise it
with Mr Vardy
248
00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,480
because there was actually nothing
to raise?
249
00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,400
I'm sat here under oath.
250
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,720
I 100% spoke to Mr Vardy on
this situation.
251
00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,880
Jamie was a teammate for
the national team.
252
00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:05,880
He's not someone I've ever
particularly been friends
253
00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:07,120
with outside football.
254
00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,320
The following statement is on behalf
of Jamie Vardy.
255
00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,880
Wayne is talking nonsense.
He must be confused.
256
00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,640
He never spoke to me.
There was nothing to speak about.
257
00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,400
I know this, because I discuss
everything with Becky. Thank you.
258
00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,960
This public falling out between two
old teammates was great theatre.
259
00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,720
But, in terms of the trial,
was something of a sideshow.
260
00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,880
Now, we're about to get to
the heart of the case.
261
00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,800
Because back in 2019,
Coleen Rooney's suspicions led her
262
00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:49,760
to start taking direct action
against Rebekah Vardy herself.
263
00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,760
As a result of my growing sense
of suspicion,
264
00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,400
I decided to remove Becky as
a follower of
265
00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:59,560
the private Instagram account in
266
00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,480
and around the first week
of February 2019
267
00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,720
to see whether that put a stop
to the leaks.
268
00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:08,880
I also stopped following her.
269
00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:15,560
And about a month later you received
a message from Mrs Vardy.
270
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,640
"Hi, my love, hope you are all OK.
271
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,520
"I saw you had unfollowed me
272
00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,320
"and I wasn't following you any more
on Instagram,
273
00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:31,200
"just wanted to ask if I had done
something or offended you in any way?
274
00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,080
"Literally only noticed the other
day."
275
00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:41,160
You said this increased your
suspicions?
276
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,440
Yes, it did. We're not good friends
277
00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,480
so if I was in her shoes
I'd just forget about it
278
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:49,680
and not message the person.
279
00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,280
Well, you might have wondered why
they had done it though?
280
00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:57,040
Yeah, but, I don't think personally
I would go out of my way
281
00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,160
and message that person and say,
282
00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:00,840
"Have I done something
to offend you?"
283
00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,800
And you replied by telling a lie,
didn't you?
284
00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,000
Yes, it was a cover up
for what I was investigating.
285
00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:10,800
You said to her...
286
00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,960
Why weren't you honest,
Mrs Rooney? Why didn't you say,
287
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,720
"I suspected you've been leaking
my stories?"
288
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,280
Because I didn't want to.
I know it sounds a bit tough,
289
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,440
but at the time I didn't think she
would tell me
290
00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,280
the truth even if I did
confront her.
291
00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,440
I had tried the warning shot
292
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,000
and I had temporarily removed
Becky as a follower of
293
00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,440
the private Instagram account before
reinstating her
294
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,280
but nothing had worked.
295
00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:53,440
I wanted to catch the account
responsible red-handed as it were
296
00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,080
and so I came up with a plan.
297
00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,000
So, between the middle of August
298
00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,560
and the beginning of October, you
posted
299
00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,680
a very large number
300
00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,560
of stories on your private
Instagram account,
301
00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,800
visible only to Mrs Vardy's account?
Yes.
302
00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:20,080
There were in fact something like 50
stories that you posted over that
303
00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:23,320
period available only
to Mrs Vardy's account?
304
00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,440
I'm not sure how many there were
in all.
305
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,400
And while that operation was
going on,
306
00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:36,680
there was another apparent crisis in
your relationship
307
00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,360
with your husband, wasn't there?
308
00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:44,280
There were newspaper reports about
your husband misbehaving.
309
00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,000
It's unfortunate that things have
happened in my life
310
00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,960
and it gets publicised
but it's happened quite
311
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,600
a few times, we've dealt with it as
a couple.
312
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,120
Well, let's look at some of
313
00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,680
the posts you put up during
that period.
314
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,240
As we'll see in due course,
only one made it into The Sun.
315
00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,600
No, I believe that two ended up in
The Sun.
316
00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:20,160
Well, If you can look at
Bundle D, page 21.
317
00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,240
Given that Rooney was posting as
318
00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,600
many as five or even six fake
stories a day,
319
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,200
all seen only by Rebekah
Vardy's account,
320
00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:30,880
the question was why
321
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,440
so many didn't end up in the press.
322
00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:38,080
That's a fake post about you
setting up an events company.
323
00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,360
That never made it into The Sun,
did it? No.
324
00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,360
So, that's a false post which
went nowhere.
325
00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,440
And, if you look at the next page.
326
00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:54,360
There's "Going to be a big house
warming party," was that true?
327
00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:55,400
No.
328
00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:02,480
Further on. "Wedding vibes,
planning," is that true? No.
329
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,080
Did that make it into The Sun? No.
330
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:14,440
I want to ask you about
the fake TV decisions post,
331
00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,400
because I'm going to suggest that
that shows
332
00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,320
something about your attitude in
this case.
333
00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:22,520
Your conclusion
334
00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,760
that this was something that
had been leaked from your private
335
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,360
Instagram was wrong, wasn't it?
336
00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,280
Yes, but I believed at
337
00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,520
the time that it was leaked from my
private Instagram.
338
00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:36,920
Well, let's look at the post.
339
00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,040
Page 39.
340
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,920
"Maybe it's time," have you got
that?
341
00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,760
Yes. "Up and out.
Easing my way back into work.
342
00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:57,680
"TV decisions today. Maybe it's time
for Australia."
343
00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,920
What is that fake post referring to?
344
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,880
It's referring to I'm A Celebrity,
Get Me Out Of Here.
345
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:08,000
And if we look then at
the article that followed.
346
00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,720
"Coleen Rooney in talks
to join Strictly next year."
347
00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,960
Do they make Strictly in
Australia, Mrs Rooney?
348
00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,080
No. But this is about Strictly
349
00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:27,520
and your post was about
I'm A Celebrity?
350
00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,960
Yes, but the same thing was that
I was returning to TV.
351
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,320
The speculation in
the tabloids about you going back
352
00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:39,040
to TV had been going on all year,
hadn't it?
353
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:44,840
Yes. But it was the fact that it was
three days after I posted my fake post,
354
00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,680
so that's why I thought it came from
that fake post.
355
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,840
You had been running this sting
operation since August,
356
00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,200
and we're now nearly at
the end of September.
357
00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,320
And you haven't found
a single article that was supposed
358
00:24:00,360 --> 00:24:02,560
to come from your private Instagram.
359
00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:10,040
So, when you saw the TV decisions,
your eyes lit up.
360
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,640
You thought, "Hoorah,
I've solved it."
361
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,520
No, that's why I didn't do that post
at that time.
362
00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,880
I didn't think it was
a good enough one to go out
363
00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,840
and say, I've found the person.
So that's why I continued to go on.
364
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,400
The truth is this, Mrs Rooney,
365
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:31,120
you don't actually have any evidence
to link Mrs Vardy
366
00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,280
with the leaking
of this material, do you?
367
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,160
I believe that Mrs Vardy knew that
this was happening.
368
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:45,520
What you believe isn't evidence,
Mrs Rooney, is it?
369
00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:50,320
I mean, you might believe that
Derby County will win
370
00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,520
the Premiership in two years' time,
371
00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,560
but that's not evidence that they're
going to, is it?
372
00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,200
This whole trial hinged on
the question of proof.
373
00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,520
Could Rooney prove her allegations
about Rebekah Vardy?
374
00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,480
Vardy's team had argued much
375
00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:27,120
of Rooney's case was just based on
guess work.
376
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,280
But, there was one piece of
evidence left that they still had
377
00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,320
to explain. It was the biggest,
378
00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:36,560
most difficult to explain away piece
of evidence.
379
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,400
A fake post about flooding in
380
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,280
Rooney's house which Rooney
had posted
381
00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,840
and Rebekah Vardy's account
had seen.
382
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,600
And which somehow had ended up in
383
00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,400
the hands of journalists from
The Sun.
384
00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:55,040
On the 2nd of October 2019,
385
00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,080
I uploaded the flooded basement
post to
386
00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:59,240
the private Instagram account.
387
00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,080
This was only seen by
Becky's Instagram account.
388
00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,200
Several days after posting
the flooded basement post,
389
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,280
on the 8th of October 2019,
390
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:13,440
the flooded basement article written
by Simon Boyle was published in The Sun.
391
00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:17,600
You saw the article in The Sun.
392
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,920
You decided to put up your
reveal post.
393
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,520
You were convinced
394
00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:42,440
that Mrs Vardy was the person
responsible? Yes.
395
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,440
You never thought whether it might
be someone else
396
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:48,800
with access to her account?
397
00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:53,520
I did. And as time went on that's
when I believed that
398
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:55,560
Mrs Vardy must have been
a part of it.
399
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:56,840
Well, Mrs Vardy's put in
400
00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:02,760
a witness statement saying that it's
possible that her agent was
401
00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:08,240
responsible. But, you've refused to
accept that as
402
00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,760
a possible explanation,
is that right?
403
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:15,520
I believe that Mrs Vardy knew what
was happening.
404
00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:21,720
It's common knowledge that a media
personality or a celebrity,
405
00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,200
would not be the only person
with access
406
00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:26,720
to their Instagram account.
407
00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,800
Do you agree with that? Yes.
408
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,320
And if someone else has access,
409
00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:37,760
then you don't necessarily know what
they're doing to it, do you?
410
00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,400
No, but if had control over
that account,
411
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,760
I would make sure I knew what they
were doing with it.
412
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,320
And how would you do that,
Mrs Rooney?
413
00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,640
Your brother controls your
public account? Yes.
414
00:27:55,640 --> 00:28:01,200
And you don't sit beside him every
moment that he's looking at the account?
415
00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,040
No. So, he could put things on there
without you knowing about it,
416
00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,040
couldn't he? He could, but he
doesn't.
417
00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,400
So the reality is,
418
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,640
you have no idea whether
Mrs Vardy was responsible.
419
00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,520
She may have been,
she may not have been.
420
00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,200
I don't know.
421
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,120
But having looked at
the material since,
422
00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,720
I believe that Mrs Vardy knew
a lot about what was going on.
423
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,240
We're talking about the post.
424
00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,440
We're not talking about what you
knew since.
425
00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,160
You knew that there were possible
426
00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,800
explanations which didn't involve
her, didn't you?
427
00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:48,160
No, I believed that it was from her
account and she knew about it.
428
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:51,280
You knew there were possible
429
00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:57,560
explanations that didn't involve
her? You've accepted that already.
430
00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:03,520
There is a possibility,
but I didn't think it was, no.
431
00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,240
There was no reason you shouldn't go
to Mrs Vardy
432
00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:10,080
and say to her, "Look, this has
happened.
433
00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,960
"What do you say about it?"
Was there?
434
00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,680
I decided that's what I wasn't
going to do.
435
00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,960
I felt like she had relationships
with the press
436
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,680
and she'd twist it. So, I didn't
give her that opportunity, no.
437
00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,640
And then very shortly afterwards she
messaged you on
438
00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:37,840
WhatsApp, didn't she?
439
00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:39,040
She says...
440
00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:12,080
And she made it clear to you that it
wasn't her, didn't she?
441
00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,400
She says that she has no interest in
my life,
442
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,280
which I believe is untrue,
443
00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,760
because obviously she talks about me
a lot, so, I think that's a lie.
444
00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:27,440
Mrs Rooney,
on the disclosed WhatsApp messages,
445
00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,400
she talks about you on
a few occasions over
446
00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:36,080
a period of two years.
It is not a lot.
447
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,040
Yeah, but, she's got no need to talk
about me or my Instagram.
448
00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,040
Especially with Caroline Watt.
449
00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,040
I've never even spoken
to Caroline Watt.
450
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:53,520
I just feel like the messages
between them both were evil
451
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:54,760
and uncalled for.
452
00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,320
I've never done anything to them
for them
453
00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,600
to be monitoring me and stalking me.
454
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:05,440
Well, at this time you hadn't
seen those WhatsApp conversations.
455
00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:10,080
And yet you just refused
to believe her, didn't you?
456
00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,720
Yes, I didn't trust her.
I didn't believe her, no.
457
00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:17,200
You were absolutely determined that
you were
458
00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,640
going to out her, weren't you?
459
00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,280
On the 9th of October, you were
going to reveal to
460
00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,920
the world that Rebekah Vardy was
the villain.
461
00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:29,000
No, not the villain.
462
00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,120
She was the person who was passing
on my private information to
463
00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:37,960
the press. I decided I needed
to do something. So I did.
464
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:42,400
I called her.
465
00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,240
She told me that she wanted
to make me feel paranoid
466
00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,560
the way she had felt paranoid.
467
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:51,520
She was very cold
468
00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,520
and showed no remorse even though
I was upset.
469
00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,400
I found it chilling
and quite menacing.
470
00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,000
Finding out about Coleen's campaign
471
00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,440
to secretly target me was
extremely upsetting.
472
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,320
It made me feel like someone
had been monitoring me
473
00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,520
and putting me under surveillance
without my permission.
474
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,040
I think Coleen and her
PR advisers made me a scapegoat.
475
00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,880
I believe they have done this in
part to change
476
00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,520
the narrative in
the press about Coleen being
477
00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:31,320
a doormat following her husband's
drink driving charge
478
00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:33,720
and the multiple allegations
of cheating.
479
00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:40,960
So, when she was abused,
what did you do to put it right?
480
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,600
Mrs Vardy directed lawyers
the day I put it out,
481
00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,920
so it was in their hands from that
day on.
482
00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,400
So is the answer nothing?
483
00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:52,680
Well, I stuck with what my lawyers
484
00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,640
and obviously Mrs Vardy's
lawyers directed.
485
00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,320
The choice as to what
to do is yours, isn't it?
486
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:01,840
Yes, it is.
487
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:08,920
Meanwhile, there was a massive
reaction on social media, yes?
488
00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:12,520
Yes, there was. People were talking
about "Wagatha Christie."
489
00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:16,560
Yeah, which is just ridiculous.
I mean,
490
00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:19,840
I got a lot of people sending me
photo shots.
491
00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,040
Obviously people didn't know
how serious
492
00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:26,720
the story behind it was. So, yeah,
I have got
493
00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:30,040
a lot of pictures on my phone that
I screenshot from that day
494
00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:32,840
but I've never done anything
with them.
495
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,560
And, to be honest with you,
I've hated every minute of it.
496
00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,560
Can we look at Bundle E?
497
00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,760
Page 519.
498
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,640
Someone has Photoshopped your face
499
00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:55,720
and Mrs Vardy's face on
to something from Scooby Doo.
500
00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,840
Unmasking a villain, yes? Yes.
501
00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:02,880
And then on the previous page.
502
00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,680
Someone has put your face on to
the cover of an Agatha Christie book.
503
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:11,360
You saved this?
504
00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:13,800
Yes.
505
00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:19,400
So, these were images that were
saved on your phone?
506
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,080
You were delighted at
507
00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,480
the reaction that you received,
weren't you?
508
00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,200
No, I wasn't.
509
00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:33,840
But, you knew that over that two
months until your lawyers responded,
510
00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:39,320
that Mrs Vardy was receiving vitriol
and abuse, didn't you?
511
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:43,560
I know, and that is disgusting.
512
00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,600
I was getting trolled as well,
513
00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:49,520
but Mrs Vardy's was disgusting,
514
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,240
and I don't wish that upon anyone.
515
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:58,480
It's not right and in a world that
we live in today the trolling is terrible.
516
00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:03,800
But, Mrs Rooney, you chose not to do
anything about it?
517
00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:06,160
Because Mrs Vardy gave me
a legal letter
518
00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,520
and I didn't know how I was meant
to carry on.
519
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,640
But, you attacked her in the post,
didn't you?
520
00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,960
No, I haven't attacked her.
I haven't.
521
00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,480
I called her out and said this is
522
00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,000
the person who I believe whose
account it is.
523
00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:23,560
You see Mrs Rooney, the truth is,
you have no idea whether
524
00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,880
Mrs Vardy leaked that material
to The Sun.
525
00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,160
I believe that all
the evidence I have points
526
00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,600
the finger that Mrs Vardy knew
exactly what was going on
527
00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:35,800
with her account.
528
00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:42,240
Thank you. I have no further
questions.
529
00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:44,720
Thank you.
530
00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:08,480
Good morning. If I please your
ladyship, good morning.
531
00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:13,200
First, can I begin by explaining
the absence of Mr and Mrs Rooney.
532
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,560
They have asked me to pass on their
individual apologies
533
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:22,080
and explain that they intend no
disrespect to the court.
534
00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:25,400
They had a longstanding
travel arrangement
535
00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:29,240
with their four children,
which was booked,
536
00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:31,560
and approved by their lawyers.
537
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:37,120
Of course. My Lady, it seems only
right that we end this case in
538
00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:38,360
the way it began.
539
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,720
Mrs Rooney didn't
want to go through a trial.
540
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:48,440
We say what Mrs Rooney said in her
post was true.
541
00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:51,920
It's what she believes even more so
542
00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,520
now we have reached
the end of this case.
543
00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:59,760
There are a number of extraordinary
features to this case.
544
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:05,480
The first is the amount of documents
which are not before the court.
545
00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:06,840
As we report,
546
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:12,760
the most likely explanation is
deliberate deletion or destruction.
547
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,040
The second is the witnesses who have
not given evidence.
548
00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:22,520
We have no evidence from Ms Watt,
who clearly had repeated contact
549
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,640
with these journalists through
the period.
550
00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:26,760
As well as, we say,
551
00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,120
a hand in glove relationship
with Mrs Vardy.
552
00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:36,320
Mr Vardy didn't give evidence
in court.
553
00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:40,560
He chose to make
a press statement outside the court,
554
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,960
while we were all sitting here
listening to his wife's case.
555
00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:48,880
"Wayne is talking nonsense,"
he said.
556
00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:52,400
Of course it's not lost on
the court, I'm sure,
557
00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:55,400
that whilst he was perfectly willing
to give
558
00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:57,920
a press statement when not
under oath,
559
00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:03,440
Mr Vardy seemed apparently unwilling
to provide one
560
00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:04,800
for these proceedings.
561
00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:10,520
We've proved, we say,
that Mrs Vardy regularly
562
00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:14,120
and frequently leaked to
The Sun information about
563
00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,360
a number of people she knows.
564
00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,440
We have set out why,
in a number of different ways,
565
00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,160
the claimant has demonstrated
herself to be
566
00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,080
an entirely unreliable witness.
567
00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:28,200
That includes her refusal to accept
568
00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:30,960
the ordinary meaning
of words such as
569
00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:34,640
the all-important word "leak",
a feat,
570
00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:37,480
we say, of linguistic gymnastics.
571
00:38:40,240 --> 00:38:44,960
We say her evidence should be
treated with the utmost caution.
572
00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:49,760
On its own, its accuracy simply
cannot be trusted.
573
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,720
Mrs Vardy's suggestion that she
was unaware
574
00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:02,520
of Ms Watt leaking information to
The Sun is completely unsustainable.
575
00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,760
In the face of Ms Watt's message,
576
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:20,040
"It wasn't someone she trusted.
It was me."
577
00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,680
That haunting,
578
00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:28,320
unequivocal
579
00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:33,720
and entirely self-explanatory
message is there on the page.
580
00:39:35,240 --> 00:39:37,520
There was no message in response.
581
00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,800
And that is not because Mrs Vardy
was bathing her children
582
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,120
and watching Gemma Collins on
Dancing On Ice.
583
00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:47,560
It is because there was nothing
to say.
584
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:52,720
Mrs Vardy knew perfectly well what
Caroline Watt had been doing
585
00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:54,520
and she approved it.
586
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:01,320
All rise.
587
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:06,040
As the trial ended,
I had mixed emotions.
588
00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:07,520
For those of us who were there,
589
00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,320
it was sad giving up our front row
seats to one of
590
00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:12,560
the most anticipated cases
to come out of
591
00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:13,800
the Royal Courts of Justice.
592
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,080
There was a real sense
of camaraderie.
593
00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:21,240
This case fascinated all of us,
tabloids and
594
00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:24,000
the broadsheets were literally
rubbing shoulders reporting on
595
00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:26,840
the same salacious stories
and shocking reveals.
596
00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:32,920
It's rare for a trial like this
to come to the RCJ.
597
00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:35,880
Some people thought it was
a huge waste of money,
598
00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:38,440
others thought it was
the gift that kept on giving.
599
00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:43,120
But in truth, after having gone
through Covid and the cost of living crisis,
600
00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:48,040
and a news agenda dominated by
terrible world events, this almost
601
00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:51,160
provided an antidote
to all that suffering.
602
00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:53,640
There were unbelievable moments
in there
603
00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:55,240
and hints of nostalgia.
604
00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:58,080
Tomlinson's comment about
dancing on tables,
605
00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,600
was a reference to the 2006 World
Cup in Germany where
606
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:03,440
the term WAG was born.
607
00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:04,520
It captured the nation
608
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,080
because they wanted
to be part of the jury.
609
00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:12,320
They could see how this situation
could play out in their own social circles.
610
00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:14,520
These two women were fearless.
611
00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:19,400
Cross examination is intimidating,
the Royal Courts are intimidating.
612
00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:23,680
But Vardy and Rooney were both
determined not to back down.
613
00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:27,360
Now, all that's left is to wait.
614
00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:47,280
This judgment is given following
a seven day trial
615
00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:52,040
of this libel claim which was
brought by the claimant, Ms Rebekah Vardy.
616
00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:58,360
In my judgement, Ms Rooney was an
honest and reliable witness.
617
00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:02,760
She sought to answer the questions
that she was asked without any evasion.
618
00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:05,840
I also accept Mr Rooney gave
honest evidence.
619
00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:10,040
Ms Vardy gave evidence
for about two and a half days.
620
00:42:11,240 --> 00:42:14,240
It was evident that she found
the process stressful and,
621
00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:15,680
at times, distressing.
622
00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:21,280
I bear in mind the degree of stress
she was naturally feeling,
623
00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,160
and the abuse that she has suffered.
624
00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:28,680
Nevertheless, I find that it
is, unfortunately,
625
00:42:28,720 --> 00:42:33,120
necessary to treat her evidence
with very considerable caution.
626
00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:37,880
Significant parts of Ms Vardy's
evidence were not credible.
627
00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:41,360
In my judgment, it is likely that
Ms Vardy
628
00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:44,480
deliberately deleted her
WhatsApp chat with Ms Watt,
629
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,520
and Ms Watt deliberately dropped her
phone in the sea.
630
00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:53,680
However, my assessment is that
Ms Vardy is genuinely offended by
631
00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:57,480
the accusation made against her by
Ms Rooney in the reveal post.
632
00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:02,960
That is not because she was not
involved in disclosing information
633
00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:04,600
from the private Instagram account.
634
00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:10,600
Ms Vardy's part in disclosing
information to The Sun was,
635
00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:11,880
it seems to me,
636
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:15,480
unthinking rather than part of
a considered
637
00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,520
and concerted business practice.
638
00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:21,440
Consequently, there has been
639
00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:25,240
a degree of self deception on her
part regarding
640
00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,760
the extent to which she
was involved.
641
00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:33,400
But, for the reasons
642
00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:38,560
I have given, this claim
is dismissed.
643
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:50,440
Although I bear Mrs Vardy
no ill will...
644
00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:57,320
..today's judgment makes clear that
I was right in my posts
645
00:43:57,360 --> 00:43:59,160
of October 2019.
646
00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:03,520
I would like to thank all
of my legal team,
647
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:08,400
my family, friends and everyone who
supported me,
648
00:44:08,440 --> 00:44:09,920
including the public,
649
00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:12,840
through this difficult
and stressful time.
650
00:44:20,680 --> 00:44:24,000
I feel let down by
a lot of people, a lot of things.
651
00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:27,400
But most importantly I feel let down
by the legal system
652
00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:29,400
and I feel let down by the judge
653
00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:31,600
for not understanding this
case properly.
654
00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,440
Do you wish it hadn't gone as far as
it did?
655
00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:36,360
Look, we tried different things
656
00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:40,120
to ensure that we didn't end up
where we ended up.
657
00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:44,360
But, ultimately...didn't have much
choice,
658
00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:45,440
I didn't do anything wrong,
659
00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:49,000
I didn't do what I was accused of,
what else was I meant to do?
660
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:50,120
I was being vilified,
661
00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:53,920
I was having abuse sent at me left,
right and centre.
662
00:44:53,960 --> 00:45:00,320
My children. And.
I desperately tried to stop it.
663
00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:03,280
But, ultimately that didn't work.
664
00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:09,120
I guess the question is,
665
00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:11,960
do we think the verdict is
the end of this?
666
00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:14,280
For Rebekah Vardy there's one thing
667
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:18,200
to take solace in, everybody loves
a comeback.
668
00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:05,840
Subtitles by Red Bee Media
669
00:46:05,890 --> 00:46:10,440
Repair and Synchronization by
Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0
55651
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.