Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Permission to bring an additional claim against the respondent is refused due to lateness, lack of adequate explanation, and unfair prejudice to the claimant and respondent. The application for collateral use of disclosed documents is refused for lack of special circumstances. Amendments to the defence are allowed only in limited respects; further information and most disclosure applications are refused except for a manual review of WhatsApp messages. A joint or coordinated request to Instagram is ordered.

Parties
Claimant: Rebekah Vardy; Defendant: Coleen Rooney; Respondent: Caroline Watt
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
14 February 2022
Procedural Posture
Civil Libel / Pre Trial Applications Ruling
Outcome
Applications mostly refused; limited amendments and disclosure ordered; joint Instagram request ordered.
Legal Topics
Libel, Disclosure, Joinder of Parties, Amendment of Pleadings, Misuse of Private Information, Data Protection, Collateral Use of Documents
Defamation Media Law Civil Procedure Libel Disclosure Joinder of Parties Amendment of Pleadings Misuse of Private Information +2 more

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Parties

Rebekah Vardy

Claimant

Coleen Rooney

Defendant

Caroline Watt

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Libel / Pre Trial Applications Ruling

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether to permit an additional claim (joinder) against the respondent for misuse of private information and data protection breaches
  2. 2 Whether to allow amendments to the defence
  3. 3 Whether to order further information and specific disclosure

Ratio Decidendi

Permission to bring an additional claim against the respondent is refused due to lateness, lack of adequate explanation, and unfair prejudice to the claimant and respondent. The application for collateral use of disclosed documents is refused for lack of special circumstances. Amendments to the defence are allowed only in limited respects; further information and most disclosure applications are refused except for a manual review of WhatsApp messages. A joint or coordinated request to Instagram is ordered.

Court Disposition

Applications mostly refused; limited amendments and disclosure ordered; joint Instagram request ordered.

Orders

  • Defendant's application for permission to bring an additional claim refused
  • Defendant's application to try claims together refused