Full Wagatha files: Vardy claims she was made a 'scapegoat' during Euro 2016

20 May 2022, 18:59 | Updated: 20 May 2022, 23:02

Rebekah Vardy was "made a scapegoat" during Euro 2016 and coverage made her "blood boil", newly-released documents in the Wagatha Christie trial have revealed.

Screenshots of the mother-of-five's texts to her husband, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, were among the evidence shared in court during the case, which lawyers on both sides of the case agreed for release.

A series of posts from Coleen Rooney's private Instagram at the centre of the recently-concluded trial were also released on Friday.

It comes after Ms Rooney, 36, said in a viral social media post in October 2019 that she had carried out a "sting operation" and accused Ms Vardy, 40, of leaking "false stories" about her private life to the press.

Ms Vardy denied the claims and sued her fellow footballer's wife for libel.

Ms Rooney defended her comments on the basis her post was "substantially true".

Read more: Over to the judge: WAGs wait for verdict on Wagatha Christie trial after Vardy storms out

Read more: Rebekah and Jamie Vardy 'will not flee to US after Wagatha Christie case', she says

One set of messages seen in court were from June 23 2016, when Ms Vardy shared an article link with her "hubby" that reported then England football captain Wayne Rooney had "held talks" with Mr Vardy about his wife.

"Seriously????" Ms Vardy messaged her husband.

Mr Vardy replied: "No not at all babes x"

"T**ts trying to make me into a scapegoat X," Ms Vardy said, with Mr Vardy responding: "F*****g arseholes x"

The trial of the libel dispute between Ms Vardy and Ms Rooney, which finished on Thursday, was told Mr Rooney spoke to Mr Vardy about his wife's "media activities" during the Euro 2016 tournament because they were "causing problems and distractions".

Giving evidence, Mr Rooney claimed he had "100%" had an "awkward" conversation with his teammate about Ms Vardy after being asked to by then England manager Roy Hodgson.

In a statement issued outside the trial, Mr Vardy said that Mr Rooney, now manager at Derby County, was "talking nonsense".

In the messages to her husband in 2016, Ms Vardy shared another article with the headline: "Wayne Rooney asks Jamie Vardy to make sure his wife lowers her social media profile during Euros".

Ms Vardy commented: "Jesus... This must have come from somewhere!"

"Haha no1 said a word, probably the bloody FA," Mr Vardy replied.

Ms Vardy said: "Joke makes my blood boil X."

"Papers for u with nothing better to do coz they got no stories x," Mr Vardy responded.

Ms Vardy added: "Exactly not fair to pick on me though w****rs."

Meanwhile, screenshots of multiple private Instagram posts made by Ms Rooney between 2017 and 2019 also feature in the bundle of documents.

They include an October 24 2017 post celebrating her husband's birthday and another made on October 31 that year of Mr Rooney and three of their sons in pyjamas in bed.

Ms Rooney claimed that at the time of the so-called "pyjamas post" she made a "conscious decision" not to upload the photograph with him to her public Instagram account due to "the difficulties between us at the time".

The mother-of-four claimed that an article later published in The Sun referenced the two posts, including quoting the so-called "birthday post" "word-for-word".

Rebekah Vardy leaves court on final day of Wagatha trial

Lawyers have also shared a screenshot of Ms Rooney's so-called "TV decisions" post, among the fake posts she claims to have uploaded to her private Instagram as part of the "sting operation".

Posted on September 25 2019, it featured a "selfie" of Ms Rooney and the text: "Up and out!! Easing my way back into work!! TV decisions.... maybe it's time for Australia."

Another post made on March 18 2019 which showed a photo of a bar she was at celebrating St Patrick's Day with her husband and the caption: "We're back... took kids home..... we finally have a babysitter".

Ms Rooney claims the Sun made enquiries about her and her husband going on "lots of dates" in Washington, where the couple then lived, after finding a babysitter they trusted.

While no article was published about the "babysitter post", Ms Rooney believes it was likely another leak from her private Instagram.

Both women gave evidence during the seven-day trial of the case, with Ms Justice Steyn due to give her ruling at a later date.