Former player Joey Barton found guilty of sending offensive posts to Eni Aluko, Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine, with sentencing scheduled for next month.
LONDON: Former footballer and manager Joey Barton was convicted on Friday of six counts of sending offensive social media posts.
The 43-year-old was charged over X posts sent to former England international Eni Aluko, former player-turned-pundit Lucy Ward and BBC presenter Jeremy Vine in early 2024.
Prosecutors argued that Barton’s messages “crossed the line between free speech and a crime”.
Barton had previously appeared in court multiple times, including a conviction earlier this year for assaulting his wife.
He was also ordered to pay damages to Vine in 2024 following a separate civil libel lawsuit.
The former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers player claimed his posts were either provocative or meant as “banter”.
He maintained they were not intended to cause distress or anxiety to the recipients.
Following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Barton was cleared of six other charges against him.
Sentencing for the convicted offences is expected to take place next month. – Reuters
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