By Dominic Ponsford
The Sun is beuing sued by the woman it dubbed the “haggard hooker” –
who, it claimed, had sex with footballer Wayne Rooney at a Liverpool
massage parlour.
The front page story in August 2004 pictured Patricia Tierney, 50, under the headline “Don’t fancy yours much, Wayne”.
It
alleged that Tierney was “known in the trade as the auld slapper” and
dressed in PVC to pleasure the Manchester United striker, who at that
time was signed to Everton.
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Tierney, from Whiston, Merseyside, is said to be on anti-depressants following the “utterly false and damaging allegations”.
She
is a married mother of seven, and grandmother of 16, who says she has
never been a prostitute but had been a part-time receptionist at a
massage parlour for three weeks.
Her lawyer David Kirwan said:
“Since the allegations, she and her family have suffered endless abuse
and name-calling. Her grandchildren have been bullied at school.”
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Tierney said she had dyed her hair so that people would not recognise her from the photographs that were published in The Sun.
Kirwan
added: “The Sun newspaper has destroyed the life of a blameless woman
in the reckless pursuit of a totally groundless story. Legal action has
commenced against the newspaper and, if the case goes to trial at
Liverpool High Court, Wayne Rooney will potentially be called as a
witness.”
Tierney is reportedly reduced to tears every time the story is repeated and sees “no end to the ridicule she has suffered”.
Media
lawyer Mark Stephens said The Sun is unlikely to face a big payout if
Tierney is successful. He added: “Obviously there’s a difference
between someone who works in a bordello and somone who provides
services in a bordello.
But the difference is quite a small one and I think the damages would be likely to be pretty small.”
The Sun has said that it stands by the story.
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