Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Disclosure from News Group Newspapers Ltd is ordered only for communications with Mr Andrew Halls, as evidence exists and the CPR 31.17(3) requirements are met for him alone; permission and relief from sanctions are granted for witness summaries of four journalists where the claimant was unable to obtain statements and they are likely to give relevant evidence; parts of the defendant's witness statement are struck out where they contain inadmissible, irrelevant, or argumentative material, but ongoing belief and certain narrative are allowed as potentially relevant.

Parties
Claimant: Rebekah Vardy; Defendant: Coleen Rooney; Respondent: News Group Newspapers Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
21 April 2022
Procedural Posture
Libel / Pre Trial Review
Outcome
Applications determined: disclosure granted in part, permission and relief from sanctions granted in part, strike out granted in part.
Legal Topics
Libel, Disclosure, Witness Evidence, Relief From Sanctions, Striking Out, Third Party Disclosure
Defamation Civil Procedure Libel Disclosure Witness Evidence Relief From Sanctions Striking Out Third Party Disclosure

Case Brief

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Parties

Rebekah Vardy

Claimant

Coleen Rooney

Defendant

News Group Newspapers Limited

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Libel / Pre Trial Review

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether third party disclosure should be ordered against News Group Newspapers Ltd for communications between the claimant, her agent, and named journalists
  2. 2 Whether the claimant should be granted permission and relief from sanctions to rely on witness summaries instead of witness statements
  3. 3 Whether parts of the defendant's witness statement should be struck out for being inadmissible, irrelevant, or argumentative

Ratio Decidendi

Disclosure from News Group Newspapers Ltd is ordered only for communications with Mr Andrew Halls, as evidence exists and the CPR 31.17(3) requirements are met for him alone; permission and relief from sanctions are granted for witness summaries of four journalists where the claimant was unable to obtain statements and they are likely to give relevant evidence; parts of the defendant's witness statement are struck out where they contain inadmissible, irrelevant, or argumentative material, but ongoing belief and certain narrative are allowed as potentially relevant.

Court Disposition

Applications determined: disclosure granted in part, permission and relief from sanctions granted in part, strike out granted in part.

Orders

  • Disclosure order against News Group Newspapers Ltd limited to communications with Mr Andrew Halls.
  • Defendant's application for disclosure in relation to other journalists refused.