Former British footballer and coach Joey Barton was given a suspended prison sentence on Monday for sending offensive social media messages to two ex-players and a broadcaster.
Barton, 43, was convicted last month over X messages sent to former England international Eni Aluko, former player and pundit Lucy Ward and BBC presenter Jeremy Vine in early 2024.
Prosecutors said the messages from Barton, who played for clubs including Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers and managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, “crossed the line between freedom of expression and a crime”.
Barton argued that his posts were provocative or intended as «banter» and were not intended to cause fear or anxiety. But following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Barton was convicted of six charges, although he was acquitted of six other charges.
READ ALSO | Former Premier League player Joey Barton sentenced for offensive social media posts
Judge Andrew Menary said Barton’s messages were «clearly grossly offensive» and described the messages about Aluko as «aggravated by race-based hostility».
Barton was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for eighteen months and given a restraining order preventing him from contacting Aluko, Ward and Vine. He will also have to do unpaid work in the community.
Barton has previously appeared in court several times, having been convicted of assaulting his wife earlier this year and ordered to pay damages to Vine in 2024 following a separate civil defamation lawsuit.
Published on December 8, 2025
