Wagatha Costs Showdown

The high-profile legal battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has once again taken center stage, as the High Court revisits new arguments surrounding the legal fees from their infamous "Wagatha Christie" case. At the heart of the latest proceedings is a claim that Rooney may have intentionally "misled" Vardy by downplaying her legal costs, allegedly to secure a tactical advantage in the dispute.

Rebekah Vardy, who previously sued Rooney for libel after being accused of leaking private details to the media, was ordered in July 2022 to cover 90% of Rooney's legal costs, with the court ruling that the accusations were "substantially true." The focus has now shifted to determining the exact amount Vardy must pay.

Representing Vardy, barrister Jamie Carpenter KC argued that Rooney's legal costs, exceeding £1.8 million, were far beyond the initial estimate of £540,779.07, calling the discrepancy "excessive." Carpenter accused Rooney of intentionally downplaying specific expenses to weaken Vardy's case, deeming the move "improper, unreasonable," and a severe violation of legal ethics. "It can only be seen in this light," he asserted.

Conversely, Robin Dunne, Mrs. Rooney’s lawyer, dismissed the allegations as "misconceived," arguing that the budget wasn’t meant to represent final costs. Dunne suggested that Mrs. Vardy’s frustration arose from the consequences of her own actions throughout the trial. He humorously compared it to “the most ill-advised legal action since Oscar Wilde’s,” highlighting the damaging impact the case has had on Mrs. Vardy.

As the dispute over legal costs continues, neither Mrs. Rooney nor Mrs. Vardy appeared at Monday’s hearing. The matter is expected to conclude later this week.