Six key points from the ‘Wagatha Christie’ judgement as Rebekah Vardy loses claim
The IndependentGet the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. clearly shows, in my view, that Mrs Vardy knew of and condoned this behaviour, actively engaging in it by directing Ms Watt to the private Instagram account, sending her screenshots of Mrs Rooney's posts, drawing attention to items of potential interest to the press, and answering additional queries raised by the press via Ms Watt.” Vardy’s evidence in trial was ‘manifestly inconsistent,’ judge says Ms Steyn has found that Rebekah Vardy's evidence in the trial was “manifestly inconsistent” with other evidence on “many occasions”. “This inevitably affects my overall view of her credibility, although I have borne in mind that untruthful evidence may be given to mask guilt or to fortify innocence.” Vardy chose not to call agent to give testimony as it would be shown to be ‘untrue,’ judge suggests Ms Watt had been due to give evidence in support of Ms Vardy but withdrew due to health concerns Ms Steyn said that Vardy chose not to call her agent Caroline Watt to give evidence partly because she knew her evidence "would be shown to be untrue". She said: “The timing is striking.the likelihood that the loss Ms Watt describes was accidental is slim.” The judge continued: “It is likely that the WhatsApp chat between herself and Mrs Vardy, as well as exchanges with journalists, was available on Ms Watt's phone when she was advised very shortly after the reveal post that such evidence must be preserved.” Ms Steyn added: “In my judgment, it is likely that Ms Vardy deliberately deleted her WhatsApp chat with Ms Watt, and that Ms Watt deliberately dropped her phone in the sea.” Degree of ‘self-deception’ in Vardy’s role in leaks Screengrab of the ‘Gender Selection Post’ that was posted to Coleen Rooney's instagram account leaked by Vardy Ms Steyn said there was “a degree of self-deception” on Vardy's part about her role in disclosing information. “Consequently, there has been a degree of self-deception on her part regarding the extent to which she was involved, as well as a degree of justified resentment at the exaggerated way in which her role has at times been presented during the litigation.” Likely Vardy leaked more information from Rooney's account Screen grabs of Rebekah Vardy’s text messages Ms Steyn said in her judgement that it isit is likely that additional information from the private Instagram account was passed to the press by Watt and Vardy, adding that it was evident that information that was passed to the press would not necassarily be published.