Joey Barton has been found guilty of six charges relating to social media posts. The posts were aimed at pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko as well as broadcaster Jeremy Vine. He was found not guilty of a further six charges.
The ex-Premier League star had denied the 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety between January and March last year.
Per The Athletic, the 43-year-old has been on trial all week at Liverpool Crown Court, with a verdict delivered on Friday afternoon.
Joey Barton Found Guilty Of Sending Grossly Offensive Messages
barton joey
The guilty verdicts handed to Barton were in reference to offensive social media posts sent to Ward, Aluko and Vine. The former Man City and Newcastle United star compared Ward and Aluko to infamous serial killers Fred and Rose West. When broadaster Vine was defending the football pundits, Barton called the presenter and journalist a slang term for a pedophile and said he would call the police if he saw him cycling near a primary school.
Barton claimed he was trying to be provocative to spark a serious debate over broadcasting standards, with his lawyers saying it was "absurd" to believe that Barton was actually accusing Vine of having a sexual interest in children. The trial saw Ward, Aluko and Vine give evidence about the personal toll the posts took on them.
Meanwhile, Barton explained his belief that the case had been a "political prosecution" and free-speech showdown with the courts because of his strong beliefs. The ex-midfielder also told the jury that his "banter" and "hurty words" with Vine had "got out of hand" before accusing Vine of having "main character syndrome" and using the incident for attention.
Barton apologised for the impact that his posts had on Ward and Aluko, saying that he "would probably not do it again if he had his time again". He then added that the pair were "strong enough" to deal with his criticism after their work on an FA Cup game between Everton and Crystal Palace on ITV in January 2024.
Barton started his professional career with Manchester City before going on to play for Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Rangers. He's also worked as a manager for Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers.