Coleen Rooney’s lawyers involved in the high-profile Wagatha Christie libel battle with Rebekah Vardy reportedly included extravagant charges for dinner, drinks, and minibar expenses at a luxury hotel in their legal fees, amounting to over £1.8 million. The details were presented at the High Court during a hearing.
The libel case stemmed from a viral social media post made by Ms. Rooney accusing Ms. Vardy of leaking her private information to the press. In July 2022, Mrs. Justice Steyn ruled in favour of Mrs. Rooney, stating that the accusations made against Mrs. Vardy were “substantially true.” Following the ruling, it was determined that Mrs. Vardy was to bear 90% of Mrs. Rooney’s legal costs.
After a subsequent hearing over costs in May, representatives of both parties reconvened in court to address the disputed amount to be paid. Mrs. Vardy’s legal team argued that Mrs. Rooney’s claimed legal bill exceeded £1.8 million, with notable expenses incurred during a stay at the Nobu Hotel, including significant charges for meals, drinks, and the minibar.
During the recent hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, it was highlighted that Mrs. Rooney’s legal bill included an array of contested costs, with claims of over £120,000 in expenses that were deemed excessive. The legal representatives engaged in discussions, pointing out errors in the bill and the contentious nature of certain charges.
The hearing, presided over by Senior Costs Judge Andrew Gordon-Saker, is set to conclude on Wednesday. Despite the absence of both Mrs. Rooney and Mrs. Vardy during the proceedings on Monday, the ongoing dispute over the legal costs continues to attract attention.
The libel case between the two high-profile figures garnered widespread public interest following Mrs. Rooney’s allegations of orchestrated leaks to the media by Mrs. Vardy. The legal battle exposed the intricacies of the relationship between the two individuals and their respective positions within the public eye.
The outcome of the current deliberations regarding legal costs will likely shed further light on the complexities of the case and the extent to which extravagant expenses have contributed to the already substantial legal fees incurred by both parties.