Tabloid pursuit of Wayne Rooney detailed to jury in hacking trial

The Old Bailey was told that newspaper stories about Rooney’s “suggested use of prostitutes” had claimed Patricia Tierney had sex with him in a Liverpool parlour in 2004.

But Ms Tierney said in a statement read to the court that she had warned the footballer to leave.

Ms Tierney said: “It was alleged I had a sexual encounter with Wayne Rooney and he paid me for sex when I was working at a massage parlour.

“I do recall Wayne Rooney visiting with a number of other males.”

She said several days later he arrived on his own.

“This time I pushed him into a room and told him to pull his hat down and get out before he was destroyed and his career was over.”

The story first appeared in the Sunday Mirror, the court heard, and was later chased by the Sun, which published several articles.

Notes made by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who has admitted phone hacking for the News of the World (NotW), showed that he was investigating Rooney at the time.

His notebooks contained information with details relating to Rooney’s mother, the court heard.

It was part of what the prosecution alleges was a conspiracy senior NotW staff members were aware of and involved in.

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, 45, ex-spin doctor Andy Coulson, also 45, former NotW head of news Ian Edmondson, 44, and the tabloid’s ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, are all on trial accused of conspiring with others to hack phones between October 3, 2000 and August 9, 2006.

Former NotW and Sun editor Brooks is also accused of two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office linked to alleged inappropriate payments to public officials.

She faces another two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, 49, and a second with her husband, Charles Brooks, and former head of security at News International, Mark Hanna.

Coulson is also facing two allegations that he conspired with former NotW royal editor Clive Goodman, 56, and other unknown people to commit misconduct in public office.

The trial continues today.