Kevin Lynch, a 51-year-old headteacher, has been named as the victim in an alleged assault involving former footballer Joey Barton at a golf club in Merseyside. The incident occurred at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club on Sunday, where Lynch was reportedly having drinks with Barton and Gary O’Grady.
Barton, 43, from Widnes, Cheshire, and O’Grady, 50, from Huyton, appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Prosecutor Chelsea Kearns told the court that the trio had been drinking together and appeared to be having a 'heated discussion' before CCTV showed them moving outside, where a witness reported seeing an assault.
Lynch is in a serious but stable condition in hospital, with concerns he may lose sight in one eye. The case has been sent to Liverpool Crown Court, with a plea hearing scheduled for April 7. District Judge James Hatton remanded Barton in custody, while O’Grady was released on conditional bail.
Barton, a former midfielder for Manchester City, Newcastle, and Rangers, now hosts the podcast 'Common Sense With Joey Barton'. The assault charge comes shortly after he was ordered to pay former England footballer Eni Aluko more than £300,000 in damages and legal costs for libel over posts made on X in 2024.
