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The recent trial of former footballer Joey Barton at Liverpool Crown Court resulted in his conviction on six counts of sending “grossly offensive” social media posts targeting broadcaster Jeremy Vine, and television pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko. Barton, 43, made derogatory comparisons between Aluko and Ward with the infamous serial killer couple Fred and Rose West, while referring to Vine as a “bike nonce” in posts sent over a span of a few months in early 2024. The prosecution successfully argued that Barton, a resident of Huyton in Merseyside, had crossed the line between exercising free speech and committing a crime as the jurors agreed with their assessment.
In response to the guilty verdict, Judge Andrew Menary KC issued a warning to Barton regarding a provocative stunt involving the wearing of a scarf printed with the British flag in the dock, prohibiting its use during his sentencing scheduled for 8 December. Barton remains under bail conditions restraining him from mentioning his victims ahead of the sentencing. Throughout the trial, Barton contended that his remarks directed at Aluko and Ward were part of what he described as “dark and stupid humour,” intended to make a serious point in a confrontational manner. He maintained that his posts about Vine were mere “crude banter” and distanced himself from any insinuations of Vine being a paedophile, following the use of the term “bike nonce”.
Despite being acquitted of some charges, Barton was found guilty of objectionable posts including derogatory remarks about Aluko’s involvement in football punditry and insinuations about Vine’s associations. Prosecutor Peter Wright KC emphasized to the jury that Barton had surpassed acceptable boundaries of social conduct with his online behavior, portraying him as a “little bully” who found gratification in posting hurtful comments. Judge Menary instructed the jury on the stringent criteria of the term “grossly offensive” in the charges, illustrating the threshold that content needs to cross to warrant legal intervention. Barton, being released on bail, was instructed not to post anything related to the case on social media before his sentencing, while a pre-sentencing report was ordered by the judge
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