Joey Barton gets suspended prison sentence for offensive social media posts | Joey Barton
Former footballer Joey Barton was sentenced to six months probation and suspended for 18 months for a series of offensive social media posts between January and March 2024.
Barton, 43, was found guilty at Liverpool crown court last month of six counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or alarm for posts targeting football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko and broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
Sentencing Barton on Monday, Judge Andrew Menary KC told the former England international panel: “Vigorous debate, satire, ridicule and even vulgar language may fall within the scope of permissible freedom of expression. However, they lose their protection when posts deliberately target individuals with derogatory comparisons to serial killers or false insinuations of pedophilia intended to cause humiliation and distress.”
Describing Barton as “not a man of previous good character”, Menary told him his behavior amounted to “not just a comment but a sustained campaign of online harassment that is targeted, excessive and deliberately harmful”.
The posts began following the FA Cup tie between Everton and Crystal Palace on 17 January 2024; Barton described Ward and Aluko as the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary” for their work during the match broadcast. He would go on to say that Aluko was “there to tick the boxes.”
When Vine intervened, Barton made a series of posts insinuating that the broadcaster was a pedophile, calling him a “one-time biker”, asking if he had “been on Epstein Island” and posting a photo of Vine with the caption: “If you see this man near the primary school call 999.”
During the trial, the court heard Barton’s messages to Vine made the 60-year-old “feel physically unsafe”, with Vine telling the jury: “I received some advice about my safety, I changed my actions. I believe those messages put me in danger, physical danger.”
In a victim impact statement read at sentencing, Ward said he was “deeply saddened by the malicious comparisons made to serial killers and felt humiliated given that millions of people would have seen the comparison” and claimed the “incessant bullying had nearly destroyed him”.
Vine, which Barton has already paid £110,000 for costs associated with the posts, said in its impact statement that it found them “deeply traumatic” and described Barton as “a little man who preys on the pain of others”.
As part of his suspended sentence, Barton must complete 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay prosecution costs of £23,419, which he must pay within 28 days. There will also be two-year restraining orders against each of his victims, prohibiting the publication of references to them on any social media platform or broadcast medium.
Simon Csoka KC, representing Barton, said the former Manchester City midfielder had learned “the damage words can do” and had shown remorse during the hearing. As he left court, Barton told reporters: “If I could turn back time I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. This was a joke that got out of hand.”
