Joey Barton Convicted for Offensive Social Media Posts

Joey Barton, the former soccer player and manager, has been convicted for posting grossly offensive messages on social media directed at broadcaster Jeremy Vine and football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court determined that Barton, aged 43, had “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” through six posts made on X, previously known as Twitter. He was acquitted of six additional charges related to sending grossly offensive electronic communications intended to cause distress or anxiety between January and March 2024.

Barton has been released on bail pending his sentencing, which is set for December 8.

The conviction stems from a televised FA Cup match in January 2024 between Crystal Palace and Everton, during which Barton compared Ward and Aluko to the notorious murderers Fred and Rose West in a post on X. He went so far as to superimpose their faces onto an image of the infamous couple.

In another post, Barton likened Aluko to historical figures Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot, suggesting that she had “murdered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of football fans’ ears”. Although the jury found him not guilty of these specific comparisons, they deemed the superimposed image as grossly offensive.

Additionally, Barton was convicted for another post regarding Aluko, in which he dismissed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as “a load of s—” and criticized affirmative action as stemming from the Black Lives Matter movement and the George Floyd incident.

Barton, who has a following of 2.7 million on X, also implied that Vine had inappropriate interests concerning children, following a message from Vine questioning whether Barton had sustained a “brain injury”. He referred to Vine in derogatory terms, calling him “bike nonce” and making alarming insinuations about his behavior near schools.

The court also heard other tweets where Barton warned the public to be cautious around Vine, recommending that they contact authorities if they spotted him near a primary school.

Barton was acquitted of three remaining tweets directed at Vine.

During the verdict announcement, the honorary recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary, remarked on Barton’s choice to wear a Union Jack-patterned scarf, suggesting it was a stunt to make a statement. The judge stated that such adornments would not be permitted during the sentencing hearing.