/ 25 April 2005

Beckhams consider legal action against newspaper

British soccer ace David Beckham and his popstar wife Victoria are considering taking legal action over a newspaper story about their marriage, a spokesperson for the couple said on Sunday.

The Beckhams failed late on Saturday to win a court order barring the News of the World from publishing allegations by the pair’s former nanny, Abbie Gibson.

Lawyers for the Beckhams had argued that Gibson’s contract included a promise not to speak about the couple’s private lives.

But the News of the World said a High Court judge ruled in its favour on grounds that the story was in the public interest.

After the newspaper appeared on Sunday morning, the Beckhams were ”consulting our lawyers with a view to taking legal action,” their spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Gibson told the newspaper she witnessed a series of rows between David Beckham and his wife — who was known as ”Posh Spice.”

She worked for the couple from August 2003 until she quit earlier this month.

Gibson claimed that Victoria told her that her soccer star husband wanted to split-up.

The News of the World also gave further details concerning beautician Danielle Heath, who has previously said she had had an affair with David Beckham.

The marriage of Britain’s number one celebrity couple first hit the headlines a year ago when a former personal aide, Rebecca Loos, claimed she and Beckham had had a 10-day affair. He dismissed the claim as ”ludicrous” and ”absurd”.

In September, lawyers for the couple said they were taking legal action against a British tabloid newspaper over an article which claimed their marriage was in trouble.

Victoria is a former member of the Spice Girls band. She and her husband, who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid, have three young sons. – Sapa-AP