Joey Barton has been handed a suspended sentence, a two-year restraining order and 200 hours of community service after being found guilty of six charges over ‘offensive tweets’ aimed at Eni Aluko, Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine.
The former footballer was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was told that if any other offence is committed in the next 18 months, he will be brought back into court.
Although the 43-year-old has avoided jail he has to pay the prosecution’s cost of £23,419.80 and has 28 days to pay.
Joey Barton: ‘I never meant to hurt anyone’
Speaking to the BBC after exiting court, Joey Barton said: ‘If I could turn back the clock I would.
‘I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail.’
Judge Andrew Menary KC said that while he was convinced the ‘custodial threshold’ had been crossed in this case, he was prepared to suspend those jail terms.
He noted that Barton had ‘taken steps to moderate his online behaviour’ and added that ‘only time will tell whether this resolve endures’.
Judge Menary said: ‘In light of steps you have taken, I am persuaded that there is some prospect of rehabilitation and that an immediate custodial sentence is not required to protect either the public or the victims – and that a suspended sentence order may itself operate as a deterrent against any future offending by you.’
Last month Barton was found guilty on two counts of sending grossly offensive communications to female football commentators Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and four counts of sending grossly offensive messages to broadcaster Jeremy Vine in a trial at Liverpool crown court.
The ex-Manchester City, QPR and Newcastle midfielder was cleared of six similar charges by the jury.
He was found guilty on two counts of sending grossly offensive communications to female football commentators Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and not guilty on three counts relating to them.
He was found guilty on four counts of sending grossly offensive messages to broadcaster Jeremy Vine and not guilty on three counts relating to him.
Barton had been granted bail on condition that he did not contact or talk about the three complainants.
Joey Barton ‘offensive tweets’ about Eni Aluko, Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine
Following a televised FA Cup tie in January 2024 between Crystal Palace and Everton he likened Ward and Aluko to the ‘Fred and Rose West of football commentary’ and went on to superimpose their faces on to a photograph of the serial murderers.
In another post about Aluko, Barton said: ‘Only there to tick boxes. DEI is a load of s***. Affirmative action. All off the back of the BLM/George Floyd nonsense.’
Barton repeatedly referred to Vine as ‘bike n***e’ and asked him: ‘Have you been on Epstein Island? Are you going to be on these flight logs? Might as well own up now because I’d phone the police if I saw you near a primary school on ya bike.’
Barton – now a social commentator with 2.7 million followers on X – also tweeted: ‘Oh @the JeremyVine Did you Rolf-aroo and Schofield go out on a tandem bike ride? You big bike n***e ya.’
Barton was convicted over two further tweets about Vine in which he referred to him as ‘bike n***e’ and said: ‘If you see this fella by a primary school call 999,’ and ‘Beware Man with Camera on his helmets cruising past primary schools. Call the Cops if spotted.’
Giving evidence, Barton, who managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, said he believed he was the victim of a ‘political prosecution’ and denied his aim was ‘to get clicks and promote himself’.
