Coleen Rooney sports triumphant smile as she leaves gym after scoring another court victory over Rebekah Vardy as judge rules against reducing her £1.8M Wagatha Christie legal bill
As a seasoned legal observer with years of experience under my belt, I find myself intrigued by this ongoing saga between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy. The latest developments in their libel case have caught my attention, particularly the dispute over legal costs.
On Wednesday, Coleen Rooney managed a weary smile following a demanding exercise routine, having secured yet another court victory against Rebekah Vardy, which required her to pay the substantial legal fees of around £1.8M in the Wagatha Christie case.
38-year-old WAG exited the gym with an effortless style, donning form-fitting leggings and a sleek black rain jacket.
She tightly held a well-padded coat and a water bottle, pulling her hair back haphazardly into a knot, displaying signs of exhaustion yet radiating contentment.
Over the past week, Coleen Rooney, wife of Wayne Rooney, has experienced a challenging time due to Rebekah’s court action, aiming to split a £1.8 million legal fee she is obliged to pay.
In July 2022, Rebekah, who is Jamie Vardy’s wife and used to play alongside Wayne on the Three Lions team, lost her lawsuit against Coleen. The lawsuit was filed due to accusations that Coleen had leaked stories about them.
Currently, she’s asking for a reduction of half the original settlement amount, due to accusations that she had been overcharging for her legal representative’s accommodation at a luxurious Nobu Hotel.
In 2019, Colleen implicated Rebekah by claiming that she had leaked Colleen’s personal details from social media to the media. This accusation was later found by Judge Mrs Justice Steyn to be largely accurate.
In October 2022, the judge instructed Rebekah to cover 90% of her fellow WAG’s legal expenses, starting with a payment of £800,000.
However, this week, the attorneys representing the women returned to court in London, where they are embroiled in a disagreement regarding the payment amount. Specifically, lawyers for Rebekah argued that Coleen’s proposed legal bill amounts to approximately £1,833,906.89.
In simpler terms, Rebekah’s attorneys claimed that the other side’s calculation of their costs, which included a high-end hotel stay and a contentious mini-bar bill, was intentionally deceptive. They believe this justifies lowering the amount Rebekah is required to pay.
On Tuesday, Coleen secured another victory against her rival, with the decision made by a judge confirming that the expense was legally justified.
Colleen’s lawyer, Robin Dunne, stated that “no wrongdoing has occurred” and it would be irrational to suggest that they deceived anyone.
The legal team defended against accusations that their expenses related to the case were excessive, and countered allegations concerning one of the attorneys’ stay at the trendy Nobu Hotel, a preferred lodging for elite celebrities.
As a die-hard enthusiast, I’d like to clarify that what they presented in court as an extravagant ‘Caligula-esque moment,’ was actually procured at roughly the cost of a night’s stay in a Premier Inn.
In a decision made on Tuesday, Senior Costs Judge Andrew Gordon-Saker determined, after careful consideration, that Coleen’s legal team did not act inappropriately. Consequently, it was deemed inappropriate to adjust her legal expenses.
According to Mr. Gordon-Saker, although there was a lack of transparency, the situation did not reach a level that could be considered unreasonably or inappropriately wrong, and thus, it didn’t qualify as misbehavior.
In their written arguments to the High Court, Barristers for Rebekah argued that certain expenses related to Coleen’s legal fees were excessively high. These costs included those associated with a lawyer’s stay at the Nobu Hotel, which resulted in significant bills for meals, drinks, and minibar charges.
However, Mr. Dunne stated that one of Coleen’s lawyers was at the hotel because there had been an issue with their initial reservation somewhere else.
During the 9-day libel trial against Rebekah in 2022, Coleen’s lawyer, Paul Lunt of the Liverpool-based law firm Brabners, chose to reside at Nobu. This information was presented in court.
In the court, Mr. Dunne stated that the solicitor hadn’t reserved the luxurious Nobu Hotel. Instead, he had booked a more humble accommodation. However, upon arrival, there were issues with the Wi-Fi and shower functioning properly on the first night of their stay.
‘He was offered to stay at the Nobu by the defendant’s agent, who has a preferential rate.’
He added that the food and minibar tab ran up to £225, but said the minibar tab ‘ran to £7, and ran to two bottles of water’.
The attorney went on to explain that the legal advisor was charging over £600 a night for their accommodation, whereas regular prices typically exceed £295 per night at that hotel.
Mr. Dunne asserted that Rebekah’s legal team was attempting to paint his client as excessively lavish with her spending on this court case, but he considered their portrayal to be both misleading and factually incorrect.
Jamie Carpenter KC, responding to Mr. Dunne’s explanation of the spending summary, commented: “Indeed, we argue that the defendant’s expenses were excessive, however, the specific details will be addressed on a different occasion.
However, Mr. Dunne stated in his written arguments that Rebekah displayed appalling behavior throughout the trial, and furthermore, he commented: ‘It seems incongruous for Mrs. Vardy to argue now that Mrs. Rooney’s costs, a large portion of which were instigated by her actions, are unwarranted.’
Before moving on to the detailed examination of costs, the discussion is focusing on fundamental issues of principle first, with the cost analysis scheduled for a future time.
In the upcoming proceedings before Senior Costs Judge Andrew Gordon-Saker on Wednesday, both Colleen and Rebekah are not anticipated to be present as the hearing is set to draw to a close.
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2024-10-09 15:07