Joey Barton Convicted for Offensive Social Media Posts

Former soccer player and manager Joey Barton has been convicted by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court for sending grossly offensive social media posts directed at broadcaster Jeremy Vine and TV pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko. The jury determined that Barton, 43, had “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” with six posts he made on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Barton was acquitted of six additional counts regarding grossly offensive electronic communications intended to cause distress or anxiety during the period from January to March 2024. He has been released on bail pending his sentencing, scheduled for December 8.

Following a televised FA Cup match in January 2024 between Crystal Palace and Everton, Barton made a controversial comparison of Ward and Aluko to notorious criminals Fred and Rose West in a post on X, even superimposing their faces onto a photograph of the murderers. Moreover, he described Aluko as being in the “Joseph Stalin/Pol Pot category,” claiming she had “murdered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of football fans’ ears.”

While the jury found Barton not guilty of the Stalin/Pol Pot comparison and the analogy involving the Wests, they deemed the superimposed image to be grossly offensive. Additionally, he was convicted for a post regarding Aluko that stated: “Only there to tick boxes. DEI is a load of s—. Affirmative action. All off the back of the BLM/George Floyd nonsense.”

Barton, who has 2.7 million followers on X and is formerly associated with clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle, and Marseille, also suggested that Vine had a questionable sexual interest in children after Vine questioned Barton regarding a possible “brain injury.” Barton repeatedly referred to Vine using derogatory terms, including “bike nonce,” and made alarming inquiries about Vine’s presence near primary schools.

He was convicted for several troubling posts, including one that stated: “If you see this fella by a primary school call 999,” and another warning about a “Man with Camera on his helmets cruising past primary schools. Call the Cops if spotted.” He has been cleared of three other tweets related to Vine.

As the verdicts were read, the honorary recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary, noted that Barton was wearing a Union Jack-patterned scarf, which he suggested was a stunt to make a point. The judge made it clear that Barton would not be allowed to wear the scarf during the sentencing proceedings.