England football star Wayne Rooney has kicked off a legal battle for libel damages against Sunday Mirror publisher Mirror Group Newspapers.
The Manchester United footballer is suing over a story headlined ‘Roo and Riddle of Damaged Minibus’which was published on 16 October.
In a writ lodged at the High Court he claimed the article, in which it was alleged he caused criminal damage to a minibus after punching it in an angry rage, was defamatory.
Rooney is also suing over the online version of the same story.
According to the writ the story seriously harmed his reputation and caused him substantial distress and upset.
Rooney is seeking damages limited to £50,000 and said that unless MGN provide satisfactory undertakings about not republishing it, he will seek an injunction banning them from repeating the allegations about him.
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