Former Footballer Steps Back After Court Finding
Former professional footballer Joey Barton has announced he is temporarily leaving social media platforms. This decision comes just days after a Liverpool Crown Court found him guilty on multiple charges related to his online activity.
The 43-year-old ex-midfielder, who played for clubs including Manchester City and Newcastle United, was convicted of six counts of sending grossly offensive communications via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The Court's Verdict and Impending Sentencing
During last week's trial, the jury found Barton guilty on two counts of sending offensive messages to female football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward. He was also convicted on four counts relating to messages sent to broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
In a contrasting outcome, the jury cleared Barton of six other similar charges. The court has scheduled his sentencing for December 8, with trial judge Andrew Menary KC indicating that all sentencing possibilities remain open.
A Pledge for Change and Reflection
In a personal statement announcing his departure from social media, Barton acknowledged making mistakes online and stated his intention to become more constructive and responsible.
He explained that the intensity of the online world, combined with his own personal pressures, had negatively affected his wellbeing and judgement. Barton confirmed that while he is on this break, his social media accounts will be managed solely by an admin team, and he will not be posting personally.
The former footballer expressed his desire to use this time to reset, reassess his priorities, and consider how to use his public profile more constructively in the future.
