Joey Barton Convicted of Offensive Social Media Posts

Former footballer Joey Barton has been convicted on six counts for sending “grossly offensive” social media posts targeting broadcaster Jeremy Vine and television pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko.

Barton, 43, made comparisons between Aluko and Ward and the notorious serial killers Fred and Rose West, while referring to Vine as a “bike nonce” in messages sent between January and March 2024.

Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court upheld the prosecution’s claim that Barton had “crossed the line between free speech and a crime.”

However, he was acquitted of six additional counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications intended to cause distress or anxiety.

Judge Andrew Menary KC cautioned Barton against wearing a scarf emblazoned with the British flag in the courtroom as a “stunt” and indicated that he would not be allowed to wear it during his sentencing on December 8.

Barton was also reminded that his bail conditions prohibit him from referencing any of his three victims prior to the sentencing.

During his trial, Barton characterized himself as the target of a “political prosecution,” asserting that his remarks towards pundits Aluko and Ward were merely examples of “dark and stupid humour.”

He claimed he was attempting to make a serious point in a provocative manner.

Barton, who boasts 2.7 million followers on X, described his posts regarding Vine as “crude banter,” asserting that his use of the term “bike nonce” was not intended to label the radio presenter as a paedophile.

The jury found Barton not guilty of a charge related to a post containing a mock apology to Aluko for the Rose West comparison, which continued with a statement that she belonged in the “Joseph Stalin/Pol Pot category” due to her impact on football fan’s enjoyment.

Nonetheless, he faced conviction for a post asserting that ITV pundit Aluko was “only there to tick boxes” and that this was a consequence of the “Black Lives Matter/George Floyd nonsense.”

Barton was acquitted of stating that Ward and Aluko were the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary” following an FA Cup match between Crystal Palace and Everton in January 2024. However, he was found guilty of another post where he superimposed their images onto a photograph of the infamous couple.

Additionally, he was convicted for posts insinuating that Vine had visited “Epstein island”—a reference to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein—and for a post suggesting: “If you see this fella by a primary school call 999.”

In his closing remarks, prosecutor Peter Wright KC highlighted that Barton had considerably exceeded what is acceptable in society, portraying him as “a little bully” who derives pleasure from posting harmful slurs.

Judge Menary explained to the jury that the term “grossly offensive” necessitates a “high bar” for conviction, clarifying that the law only intervenes when content is deemed extreme, degrading, or dehumanizing in a way that society would collectively find unacceptable.

Barton has been released on bail, and the judge has ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared. He also warned Barton that it would be “very foolish” to post anything on social media regarding the case before sentencing.