Coleen Rooney today revived the Wagatha Christie case to deny Rebekah Vardy’s criticism of court costs – revealing that bringing in bailiffs would have been an option.
Rebekah, 41, last night overturned a ‘bloated’ £1.8 million legal bill on Coleen’s part, which allegedly included spending on luxury hotel nights and expensive meals.
With her own court costs running to around £4 million, Ms Vardy now faces £6 million in legal costs.
This afternoon, lawyers acting on behalf of 37-year-old Coleen said that an original – much lower – amount quoted at the start of the proceedings would always be higher.
They also disclosed that an interim payment of £800,000 due by Becky on November 15 last year had not arrived on time. Because she lost the case, she was ordered to pay the accrued legal costs.
And in direct contradiction to claims she was ‘forced’ to pay last year, they said she had actually asked for more timewhich Coleen agreed to allow.
In fact, the mother of four – married to English legend Wayne – could have chosen to instruct bailiffs or even file bankruptcy proceedings against her.
Lawyers acting for Coleen, 37, pictured last year, said an original – much lower – amount floated at the start of proceedings would always be higher
Rebekah, 41, also pictured last year, last night blasted a ‘bloated’ £1.8 million legal note from Coleen’s side of the case
Paul Lunt, the lawyer who acted for Coleen, said: ‘Expense budgets are prepared at the very beginning of the case, almost two years before the final hearing in this case. They are only “best estimates” of the costs likely to be incurred if the case goes as expected.
‘If a case develops in a special or unexpected way, the costs will often increase considerably compared to what was initially foreseen.
“That goes for both parties and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mrs Vardy’s own costs come in the region of £4 million.”
It seemed that the ongoing war between the two WAGs could be traced back to court, as sources close to Rebekah said she had not heard from Coleen about the legal fees.
Rebekah Vardy, 41, was ordered to pay 90 percent of Coleen’s legal bills after she lost their libel trial at the Supreme Court last year
The £1.8 million legal bill was said to include £2,000 for a lawyer’s five-star hotel stay. Coleen Rooney is in the photo
Sources had told The sun she was “furious after seeing Coleen’s bill” and has sparked a “war” over charges. The insiders say she will pay what she is ‘rightfully owed’ but believe she is ‘testing her luck by asking for nearly £2 million’.
The insider claims Rebekah’s lawyers asked Coleen’s camp for a “detailed rundown” of some of the items on the bill.
“Becky has been given paperwork as part of the bill showing how much Coleen’s team has budgeted – and how much they charge,” the source said.
“Her legal team has said some of the charges appear to be overstated.”
The source pointed to a range of allegations against the footballer’s wife, including a £6,000 fee for briefing the press.
The insider also claimed that Coleen’s team had budgeted just over £32,000 for an expert to speak at the trial, but the final bill was over £148,000.
Rebekah leaves the Supreme Court along with her husband, Jamie Vardy, in May 2022 in London last year
Another alleged high prize was the amount spent on David Sherborne, who was reportedly charged £524,000 despite being budgeted at £299,000.
The cost of the pre-trial inquiry is said to have been estimated at £12,000, but a £45,000 charge has been filed.
The war of the WAGs began when Coleen sensationally became a detective to uncover a friend who was telling stories to the media.
She spoke about her experience of her personal life being leaked to the press in October 2019, ending the tweet with the stunning line, “It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account.”
The explosive revelation prompted Rebekah, then heavily pregnant with her fifth child, to come home from a vacation in Dubai.
The insider claims Rebekah’s lawyers asked Coleen’s camp for a “detailed rundown” of some of the items in the bill (Coleen leaves the Supreme Court last year)
The insider also claimed that Coleen’s team had budgeted just over £32,000 for an expert to speak at the trial, but the final bill was over £148,000 (with husband Wayne Rooney, May 17, 2022)
Rebekah sued the rename ‘Wagatha Christie’ for libel and denied being the media source.
But last July, she lost the case when a judge found Coleen’s post “substantially true.”
Rebekah had claimed the Instagram post cost her a book deal and an endorsement for placenta capsules, while also acting as a lightning rod for people to abuse her on social media.
Coleen’s lawyer questioned her integrity as a witness and brought up a News Of The World story where she said singer Peter Andre had the “tiniest trouser outfit I’ve ever seen.”
Rebekah sued the new name ‘Wagatha Christie’ for defamation and denied being the media source, but lost the case last July (Outer Court, May 19, 2022)
The mother of five (pictured with her husband) spent two days on the witness stand being tested by Coleen’s legal team, breaking down in tears several times.
The mother-of-five spent two days on the witness stand being questioned by Coleen’s legal team, breaking down in tears several times.
The legal battle is already the subject of a show and Channel 4 drama and the Rooneys are filming a documentary with Disney about the case.
Rebekah previously told The Sun that the case left her with nightmares and symptoms of PTSD and that she “felt physically ill” when speaking about the process.
MailOnline reached out to Rebekah and Coleen for comment.