Dubbed the libel case of the century, the so-called ‘WAGatha Christie’ saga – featuring that decorative duo, Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney (famous for hanging on the arms of their filthy-rich footballer hubbies) – has finally come to an end.
Personally, I hate the term WAG for its misogynistic, offensive, and demeaning undertones. Then again, since nabbing a footie star and living a luxurious WAG-lifestyle appears to have become serious business for many young girls (with some declaring it as their aspirational occupation during their school’s career day), perhaps it’s not such a terrible tag! Personally, I like to dub these ladies ‘Premier League trophy hunters’ – sorry, I mean well educated, working class women who’ve married well!
Joking aside, it’s fair to say that had these two warring wives been married to car mechanics, plumbers, chefs or taxi drivers, etc., their long drawn out, petty, hair-pulling and eye-poking spat wouldn’t have received so much as a single column inch in the red-tops. But I digress…
At the core of this circus (sorry, case), which often verged on the bizarre, was the question of whether Coleen could justify her claim that former friend Rebekah was the individual who had leaked stories from her private Instagram account to reporters from the Sun newspaper. Personally, I find it strange that Coleen would be so sensitive to tales being trickled, given that publicity is the very lifeblood of these women’s existence; a loss of privacy is the price they pay for sharing every aspect of their lives both online and in the media. Their new hair and lash extensions, fake tans, weight loss, weight gain, boob implants and ever-depleting selfhoods, have all been up for grabs for years.
Rooney was vindicated and Vardy lost the case, with the judge (who must have got a great laugh out of the entire spectacle) finding her evidence to be ‘manifestly inconsistent’ on ‘many occasions’ during that vitriolic and salacious fortnight in May.
I’ll bet the perma-tanned one’s very sorry she sued Rooney for defamation, and not just because her reputation has taken a nasty hit, but because it’s cost her an estimated three million in legal fees. But hey, she took a gamble and she lost.
Mind you readers, had Vardy just kept her head down and her mouth shut, the public would never have been privy to the levels of nastiness to which she was prepared to plummet. I’m referring to the very personal and vile remarks she made about poor Peter Andre’s appendage! I mean, how humiliating was that? Oh, and not just for the unfortunate Peter and his missus, but for the legal professionals who’ve studied for years, only to have their expertise dragged so low they were forced to recount tawdry details of one-hit-wonder Mr Andre’s… er, ‘small chipolata’. Excruciating yet deliciously tantalising fodder for a columnist like moi, n’est-ce pas?
Bitter Becky says she’s “extremely sad and disappointed” at the verdict. But hey, chin up hon; you may have lost the trial, but you haven’t lost your amuse-by date because this soap opera is far from finished. You’ve got a tale to tell and that means a story to sell, and I’m willing to bet some lowbrow chat show host is literally chomping at the bit to offer you a six-figure sum for all the dirty deets! Who said nobody came out of this puppet show looking good!
The heinous crimes of Garda Paul Moody
Paul Moody was originally charged with 35 offences following a four-year crusade of appalling abuse levelled at his terminally ill former partner, but due to concerns about his victim’s health, the prosecution reportedly accepted a plea to one count of coercive control from the disgraced former garda.
The other charges facing this odious, repulsive individual (who called his former partner ‘a dirtbox’, a ‘scumbag’, and at one stage, threatened via voicemail message to ‘stick a knife in her’) all related to assault, criminal damage, threats to kill and harassment.
This week, instead of receiving his promotion following twenty years’ service with An Garda Síochána, Moody will instead do a mere three years and three months as prisoner number 116829 in ‘a protected unit’ in either Arbour Hill or the Midlands Prison.
However, despite being a loathsome individual and a criminal, this ex-copper will still, unbelievably, receive part of his garda pension. This revelation must surely be a kick in the gut to his victim ‘Nicola’ (an extremely brave survivor) and to every decent garda on the force, especially those who did an excellent job of investigating their former colleague’s litany of heinous crimes perpetrated against a terminally ill, vulnerable woman.
While some have commented that Moody’s actions and his conviction have seriously damaged the reputation of An Garda Síochána, I have to disagree. The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation did an excellent job of following up with ‘Nicola’ when, upon examining Moody’s phone (which he’d handed in as evidence in an investigation regarding a complaint he’d made against one of his victim’s family members), they realised what he was up to. To their credit, without any delay these detectives contacted ‘Nicola’, and, in what was, in my opinion, a carefully crafted investigation and evidence-gathering operation, brought about Moody’s downfall. They are to be congratulated, not criticised.
In my opinion, Moody’s a sick, depraved individual whose capture and conviction has capped a precipitous fall from power for a man who clearly thought he was untouchable due to his garda status. Thankfully, his former colleagues knew otherwise.
Well done ‘Nicola’ – you’re an extremely brave and special lady. You refused to remain silent. You spoke out and you were heard… heard by An Garda Síochána, and heard by the Irish public, who’re all willing you towards better health and happiness. Your courage took down a predator and put him behind bars, where he belongs. Your strength and your resilience knows no bounds. I wish you well.
*If any reader needs help or support, please call Women’s Aid on their 24-hour/seven days a week helpline at 1800 341 900. In an emergency, dial 999.
We all have a responsibility to spay/neuter feral cats
Animal welfare charities across County Roscommon are not just overrun with ‘unwanted’ feral cats and kittens, they’re quite literally at breaking point. I find this situation to be both heartbreaking and highly unacceptable. Why? Because there are two wonderful local charities (TNR South Roscommon and Roscommon SPCA) offering seriously discounted spaying/neutering services through selected vets year-round – not just during kitten season, which runs from March, peaking in July and ending in October. In cases of genuine hardship, the small fee requested by these charities can be waived by arrangement.
To that end, there should be absolutely no excuse, none whatsoever, for anyone living in this county who finds themselves sharing their garden with a little feral or a family of ferals not to avail of these charities’ advice, guidance, and humane TNR services. Unless of course those who notice these little feral colonies (who’re equally protected in law as domestic cats) in their gardens/farms/business premises don’t realise the unimaginable suffering they go through as a result of their precious little lives being blighted by fights, injuries, starvation and other health issues when they’re not spayed/neutered.
Therefore, as spaying/neutering through these local TNR initiatives will keep these kitties/colonies healthier (and provide you with free vermin control), and as this is feral cat awareness week, can I urge anyone who needs the help of TNR South Roscommon or the Roscommon SPCA to get in touch with them.
We all have a responsibility to these cats to stop their suffering, stop their pain, stop the spread of infection and stop the production of unwanted litters. Contact Roscommon SPCA on 087 050 5594, or find TNR South Roscommon on Facebook at facebook.com/TNR-south-Roscommon.
