A RECENTLY-DEPARTED Reading FC star has found himself caught up in the notorious 'Wagatha Christie' defamation trial between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney.
In a viral social media post in October 2019, Coleen Rooney, 36, said she had carried out a "sting operation" and accused Mrs Vardy, 40, of leaking "false stories" about her private life to the press.
Mrs Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, denies leaking stories to the media and is suing her fellow footballer's wife for libel, while Mrs Rooney, spouse of Wayne, is defending the claim on the basis her post was "substantially true".
Giving evidence on the second day of the trial on Wednesday, May 11, the court heard how Mrs Vardy told her agent, Caroline Watt, she "wanted paying" for information about Reading FC star Danny Drinkwater leaving police custody after crashing his car in 2019, when he was a Chelsea player.
Drinkwater was banned from the roads for 20 months and ordered to do 70 hours of community service after pleading guilty to drink driving.
Reading texts between her and Ms Watt, Mr Sherborne said: "You say 'he's only just been let out of the cells last night' and then said you wanted paying for this.
Rebekah Vardy arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice, London, as the high-profile libel battle between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney enters its second day. Picture date: Wednesday May 11, 2022. PA Photo. Rooney accused Vardy of leaking "false
"To which she said 'which police station? They will need to confirm with the police station before they write it'.
"The 'they' she's referring to is The Sun, isn't it?"
Mrs Vardy confirmed "they" referred to The Sun, but, explaining the comment about being paid for information, she said: "It was a fleeting thought and one I didn't consider any more than when I wrote it."
"It wasn't a serious comment," she added.
She later said "it was something that wrongly I got involved with".
She said she apologised and that the "messages were not good", adding it was about something that "affected me very badly in the past".
Danny Drinkwater joined Reading on loan from Chelsea FC at the start of the 2021/2022 season.
Coleen Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice, London, as the high-profile libel battle between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney enters its second day. Picture date: Wednesday May 11, 2022. PA Photo. Rooney accused Vardy of leaking "false
The Premier League winner played 32 times for the Royals before announcing his departure from the club last week.
Mrs Rooney is defending the libel claim brought by Mrs Vardy on the basis of truth and public interest.
The court previously heard that both women have spent "hundreds of thousands of pounds" on the case so far, with the total costs of the case expected to be at least £2 million.
Wayne Rooney arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice, London, as the high-profile libel battle between Rebekah Vardy and his wife Coleen Rooney enters its second day. Picture date: Wednesday May 11, 2022. PA Photo. Rooney accused Vardy of leaking "false
The fake stories Mrs Rooney planted on her Instagram during the sting operation featured her travelling to Mexico for a "gender selection" procedure, her planning to return to TV, and the basement flooding at her home.
In the post on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, she wrote: "I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them.
"It's .......... Rebekah Vardy's account."
The trial continues at The Royal Courts of Justice.
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