Former footballer Joey Barton has been convicted of six counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety. The verdict was delivered by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.
The 43-year-old from Widnes, Cheshire, targeted female football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko, as well as broadcaster Jeremy Vine, in a series of posts on X between January and March 2024. Barton, who has over two million followers, compared Ward and Aluko to notorious serial killers Fred and Rose West, and superimposed their faces onto a photograph of the murderers.
Ward told the court she felt “physically scared” by the posts. Aluko described social media as “a cesspit” and said the messages had a “real damaging impact” on her life and career. Vine, who intervened in the online exchange, testified that Barton called him a “bike nonce” and suggested he was a paedophile, causing him to feel “physically unsafe” and take security precautions.
During cross-examination, Barton claimed the posts were “crude banter” and “a wind-up”, and alleged he was the victim of “political prosecution”. Prosecutor Peter Wright KC dismissed his explanations as “nonsense”. Barton was cleared of six further counts.
Barton is due to be sentenced on 8 December. His bail conditions prohibit him from mentioning the three victims in any way before then.
