Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton found guilty of six counts of sending 'grossly offensive' X posts
Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of sending "grossly offensive" social media posts. The 43-year-old called broadcaster Jeremy Vine a "bike nonce" and compared pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Now, jurors have accepted the prosecution's argument that Barton "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts.Barton has been on trial at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024. On Friday, jurors found him guilty of six counts of sending grossly offensive social media posts directed at Vine, Ward, and Aluko, but they cleared the former Manchester City player of the other six counts. The day before he was found guilty, Barton told the court he did not intend to call Vine a paedophile and described it as a "bad, dark, juvenile joke". He also said his references to the broadcaster were a "wind-up"."It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke," he said. "I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."Barton added, "This was the state, in my opinion, trying to squeeze me into the ground. It's a spat between celebrities online. I believe this is a highly politicised case."This is a state prosecution I believe for whatever their agendas are in pushing on people."On Tuesday, former England international Aluko said she was "astounded" by Barton comparing her to the notorious serial killers, especially after the pair had exchanged "friendly and supportive" private messages years ago. "I was surprised because I had never met Joey Barton in person before. I was genuinely appreciative of his support. Between 2017 and 2020, me and Joey Barton exchanged supportive messages. I took Joey Barton as I found him. Obviously, he had a reputation in football. Given his reputation, I didn’t have to have that response to him," she told the court."If you see those messages, you would think those two people are friendly, supportive and encouraging. That’s why I was so astounded by a comparison to serial killers. I would have expected, if he did have a comment to make about my punditry, he would maybe message me and say so. I would have absolutely received it. But the fact that he did that publicly suggests it was malicious and was intended to get as much attention as possible, and all at a time when he was promoting a podcast. I believe he was trying to attract a certain audience that was aligned in his views."Meanwhile, Vine said on Wednesday that Barton's comments made him feel "unsafe", while adding that the ex-Bristol Rovers boss had left a "cloud of filth" with his words."I thought it was very vicious to post their faces over two mass murderers of children. I was looking for an explanation and said about a brain injury as a way of underlining my own feelings that he had crossed a line," he told the court. "I genuinely believe what Barton did made me physically unsafe. I took some advice about my security. I varied my movements. I didn't want to communicate the dangers [to my daughters]. Because of this cloud of filth Barton had released I had to explain to them. I can only summarise by saying I believe these messages put me in physical danger."Moreover, Judge Andrew Menary KC told Barton that his scarf with a British flag on it was a "stunt" and not to wear it again at his sentencing on December 8. He was also reminded that his bail conditions prevent him from mentioning the three victims in any way before he is sentenced.
Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of sending "grossly offensive" social media posts. The 43-year-old called broadcaster Jeremy Vine a "bike nonce" and compared pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Now, jurors have accepted the prosecution's argument that Barton "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts.Barton has been on trial at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024. On Friday, jurors found him guilty of six counts of sending grossly offensive social media posts directed at Vine, Ward, and Aluko, but they cleared the former Manchester City player of the other six counts. The day before he was found guilty, Barton told the court he did not intend to call Vine a paedophile and described it as a "bad, dark, juvenile joke". He also said his references to the broadcaster were a "wind-up"."It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke," he said. "I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."Barton added, "This was the state, in my opinion, trying to squeeze me into the ground. It's a spat between celebrities online. I believe this is a highly politicised case."This is a state prosecution I believe for whatever their agendas are in pushing on people."On Tuesday, former England international Aluko said she was "astounded" by Barton comparing her to the notorious serial killers, especially after the pair had exchanged "friendly and supportive" private messages years ago. "I was surprised because I had never met Joey Barton in person before. I was genuinely appreciative of his support. Between 2017 and 2020, me and Joey Barton exchanged supportive messages. I took Joey Barton as I found him. Obviously, he had a reputation in football. Given his reputation, I didn’t have to have that response to him," she told the court."If you see those messages, you would think those two people are friendly, supportive and encouraging. That’s why I was so astounded by a comparison to serial killers. I would have expected, if he did have a comment to make about my punditry, he would maybe message me and say so. I would have absolutely received it. But the fact that he did that publicly suggests it was malicious and was intended to get as much attention as possible, and all at a time when he was promoting a podcast. I believe he was trying to attract a certain audience that was aligned in his views."Meanwhile, Vine said on Wednesday that Barton's comments made him feel "unsafe", while adding that the ex-Bristol Rovers boss had left a "cloud of filth" with his words."I thought it was very vicious to post their faces over two mass murderers of children. I was looking for an explanation and said about a brain injury as a way of underlining my own feelings that he had crossed a line," he told the court. "I genuinely believe what Barton did made me physically unsafe. I took some advice about my security. I varied my movements. I didn't want to communicate the dangers [to my daughters]. Because of this cloud of filth Barton had released I had to explain to them. I can only summarise by saying I believe these messages put me in physical danger."Moreover, Judge Andrew Menary KC told Barton that his scarf with a British flag on it was a "stunt" and not to wear it again at his sentencing on December 8. He was also reminded that his bail conditions prevent him from mentioning the three victims in any way before he is sentenced.
