Joey Barton has been sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after being found guilty of six charges for sending “grossly offensive” posts about football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, as well as broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
The former footballer was also handed a two-year restraining order and 200 hours of community service following posts on X.
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Last month, a Liverpool Crown Court jury found Barton guilty of six counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety.
Two charges were against Aluko and Ward, while the remaining four targeted Vine.
Barton was cleared of six other similar charges, three of which involved Aluko and Ward.
What did Barton post about Aluko and Ward?
Barton compared Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to “Fred and Rose West of football commentary” after a men’s FA Cup tie in January 2024.
While cleared of this post, he was convicted for superimposing their faces on a photo of the serial killers.
He was also found guilty of a post claiming Aluko was “only there to tick boxes” and linking her role to the Black Lives Matter/George Floyd movement.
The BBC reported that the restraining order prevents Barton from referencing Aluko, Ward, or Vine on social media or broadcasts for the next two years.
During the trial, Barton described his comments as “dark and stupid humour” and claimed he was the victim of a “political prosecution.”
After court, he said: “If I could turn back the clock I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail.”
Reactions from Aluko and Ward
Lucy Ward described Barton’s posts as “irresponsible” and “hateful,” saying she is constantly afraid because of him and his influence on others.
Eni Aluko called the posts the “most offensive criticism” she had ever received and said she felt humiliated by the comparison to serial killers, reports Shekicks
Aluko was inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame days after Barton’s conviction and said she was “relieved that a difficult chapter was over.”
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