Granny admits that she is sex worker

A GRANDMOTHER is facing jail after lying to a court over newspaper allegations she was a prostitute who slept with Wayne Rooney.

Mother-of-seven Patricia Tierney, 52, denied The Sun’s claim in an August 2004 story that she was a sex worker at a Liverpool brothel used by the Manchester United and England star.

But yesterday the newspaper was vindicated when it emerged Mrs Tierney, from Merseyside, had told police she was a prostitute in a statement two years earlier.

Mr Justice Christopher Clarke threw out the £750,000 (€1.1 million) damages claim from Manchester High Court, warning Mrs Tierney she could face prosecution for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mrs Tierney’s solicitors withdrew from the case on Friday when the statement came to light, advising her she now had no hope of winning.

They wrote to The Sun to tell them of their decision, the newspaper told the court.

Rooney, 21, was lined up as a witness had the case proceeded.

Mrs Tierney claimed libel damages after saying her photo and the Sun article, headlined “Don’t fancy yours much Wayne”, were “horrible lies” that had destroyed her reputation and her life.

The grandmother-of-16 launched the legal battle claiming she had only ever worked as a receptionist at Diva’s massage parlour in Liverpool — and had never worked as a prostitute.

But yesterday Anthony Hudson, The Sun’s barrister, showed the court a police witness statement from May 2002 that revealed those claims to be lies.

Referring to it, Mr Justice Clarke said: “In light of that statement, it’s plain that the central plank of the claimant’s case that she was not, and never had been, a prostitute and worked only as a receptionist is not true, and that the claim that she was not a liar was false and was known to be so.”

Mrs Tierney made the statement after complaining to Merseyside Police that a man dressed as a policeman demanded sex from her in return for his silence over her and the brothel’s illegal activities.

She changed into her ‘work clothes’ of black thong and bra before they had sex, the court was told.

In her statement, Mrs Tierney said she slept with five men that night, charging up to £45 for straight sex and “negotiable” rates for “extra services”.

She explained she sold herself for sex because she needed the money — but kept her job a secret from her family.

Mr Justice Clarke also awarded punitive costs to The Sun payable by Mrs Tierney.

The paper is unlikely to be paid, as Mrs Tierney is on benefits and has no assets.