View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Publishers
  2. National Newspapers
November 12, 2013updated 13 Nov 2013 2:16pm

A massage parlour worker warned Wayne Rooney to stop visiting or he would ‘destroy his career’, a court heard

By Press Association

A massage parlour receptionist told Wayne Rooney to get out "before he was destroyed and his career was over", a jury has heard.

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

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.

"Several days later he came 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."

Content from our partners
Free journalism awards for journalists under 30: Deadline today
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition

The story first appeared in the Sunday Mirror, the court heard, and was later chased by The Sun, with several articles appearing in the daily tabloid.

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

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

At a later date he made a note of the mobile phone details of a beauty consultant at Harrods called Laura Rooney, who is not related to the footballer.

The court heard that Rooney's password for his mobile phone account was "Stella Artois". 

Earlier the court heard that Kate Middleton and Boris Johnson (pictured above) were both on a list of potenital phone-hacking targets identified by the News of the World. 

The Old Bailey was told that police found a hand-written page titled "Target Evaluation" at private investigator Glenn Mulcaire's home when he was arrested in 2006.

The Duchess of Cambridge was among 18 names included on the list together with the Mayor of London, PR guru Max Clifford, former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Tom Parker Bowles and celebrity Kerry Katona.

The News of the World also even targeted Angelina Jolie's British stunt double. Former Gladiators contestant Eunice Huthart was working on the action film Mr And Mrs Smith in Los Angeles in July 2005 when her mobile phone details and pin number appeared in Mulcaire's notes.

The court heard that Huthart, who is originally from Liverpool and described herself as "good friends" with Jolie in a police statement, was hacked by Mulcaire in February and March 2006.

The private investigator also intercepted the voicemails of celebrity chef and Norwich City FC majority shareholder Delia Smith after she famously addressed fans over the loudspeaker during a home game in February 2005.

He investigated her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones, and their friends and associates, and even called the phone of a man who had a similar number to  Smith by mistake, the court heard.

The case continues

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network