John Terry named as star in affair with Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel

By Sportsmail Reporter
Updated:

John Terry today faces serious questions about his role as England captain after he was named as having an affair with the ex-girlfriend of team-mate Wayne Bridge.

The Chelsea skipper is alleged to have cheated behind his wife's back with Vanessa Perroncel.

The England captain married Toni Poole in 2007, while Bridge is understood to have split with French-born underwear model Perroncel at the end of last year.

John Terry

Centre of attention: England captain John Terry

Terry had won a gagging order stopping the public learning about the affair but the injunction was lifted today.

Terry and Manchester City's Bridge both played together at Chelsea and are current team-mates with England. The revelations will make it increasingly difficult for Terry to retain the support of the England dressing room going into this summer's World Cup.

Terry is set go to South Africa as captain, while Bridge is also likely to be selected in Fabio Capello's squad.

Terry's so-called ‘super-injunction’ was granted by a High Court judge under human rights laws. He had successfully claimed that exposing his alleged infidelity would be a breach of his right to a ‘private and family life’.

Wayne Bridge and Vanessa Perroncel

Former partners: Wayne Bridge and Vanessa Perroncel

The judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, lifted the injunction on Friday afternoon, saying: 'I do not consider that an interim injunction is necessary or proportionate having regard to the level of gravity of the interference with the private life of the applicant that would occur in the event that there is a publication of the fact of the relationship, or that [the applicant] can rely in this case on the interference with the private life of anyone else.

Mr Justice Tugendhat granted the interim order to lawyers acting for LNS - as Terry is identified on court papers - at a private hearing in London last Friday. He said that it should remain in force until he delivered his decision on the application, which he gave in writing today.

The order covered the fact of a specified personal relationship between Terry, who is married with twins, and the named person, details about it including certain specific consequences, information leading to the identification of Terry or the other person and any photographs relating to it.

Terry and Bridge

Old days: Terry and Bridge during their Chelsea days

Giving his reasons for refusing to renew the injunction, the judge said: 'I accept that the information sought to be protected is not in the public domain in the sense that there is nothing left to be protected.

'But the evidence is that there has been wide circulation amongst those involved in the sport in question, including agents and others, and not just amongst those directly engaged in the sport.

'If the injunction ought otherwise be granted, I would not refuse it on this basis. But the fact that the information has become as widely available to so many people, means that an injunction is less necessary or proportionate than would otherwise be the case.

'Further, if - as I think likely - the real concern of the applicant in this case is the effect of publication upon the sponsorship business, then damages would be an adequate remedy if Terry succeeds at trial.'

Toni Poole

Married: Terry with his wife Toni Poole

It is the latest scandal to emerge surrounding Terry. In December, he was exposed for organising a secret tour of Chelsea’s training ground, apparently in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment that was made in the staff canteen.

Terry, who was accompanied by well-known ticket tout Tony Bruce, told undercover reporters from the News of the World that the arrangements for the tour had to be kept secret for fear that the club would ‘find out’.

‘If anything ever goes wrong, then you say “John didn’t know nothing about that”,’ Bruce told the reporters who secretly filmed the visit.

That incident cam shortly after Sportsmail revealed that Terry had enlisted the help of a marketing company, Riviera Entertainment Limited, to cash in on the England captain’s armband, prompting one FA official to say he had made himself look ‘greedy’.

‘John Terry is available to create effective brand awareness and endorse products and services globally,’ said the email that used the official FIFA World Cup logo without permission and, much to the surprise of Stamford Bridge officials, used an image of Terry in a Chelsea strip.

Terry

Leader: Terry is captain of Chelsea

It then reminded potentially interested parties that ‘John Terry is: British sporting hero; England’s football captain; World Cup 2018 ambassador; Football icon; Dad of the year 2008; Voted as one of the World’s most influencial (sic) people.’

Even though Riviera claimed to have a contractual agreement with him, Terry issued a statement saying the email had been circulated without his permission.

In March last year, Terry's mum and mother-in-law were allegedly caught shoplifting £800-worth of clothes and food from Marks & Spencer and Tesco.

There was further family scandal in November when Terry's father was caught selling drugs. Ted Terry allegdly organised a deal to supply undercover News of the World reporters with cocaine.

Along with his two Premier League medals, Terry also won the 2008 Dad of the Year award after a survey carried out by Daddies Sauce.


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