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Eni Aluko expressed her relief at the verdict that found former England player Joey Barton guilty of sending “grossly offensive” social media posts directed at her and other broadcasters. Barton had compared Aluko and commentator Lucy Ward to notorious serial killers Fred and Rose West, alongside calling Jeremy Vine a “bike nonce” in early 2024. Prosecutors argued in court that Barton had overstepped the boundaries of free speech and committed a criminal offense with his posts.
In response to Barton’s conviction, Aluko, who is a qualified lawyer, highlighted the toxic environment of social media where individuals hide behind the shield of freedom of speech to launch hurtful attacks. She emphasized that online actions carry real-world consequences, asserting that the messages from Barton had a profound negative impact on her personal and professional life. Aluko expressed her satisfaction at seeing justice served in this case and condemned the harmful nature of Barton’s posts.
Following the guilty verdict, Lucy Ward, who had described Barton’s posts as a form of “bullying” during the trial, posted on Instagram acknowledging that freedom of speech does not absolve individuals from facing repercussions for their actions. She revealed the emotional toll that the ordeal had taken on her over the past two years. Barton’s offensive posts had targeted the pundits while they were working on ITV’s FA Cup coverage, likening them to the twisted serial killers Fred and Rose West, who were responsible for heinous crimes against multiple individuals over two decades.
In his defense, Barton claimed that his social media posts were intended as “dark and stupid humor,” referring to Aluko as belonging in a category comparable to Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot due to her alleged detrimental impact on football fans. While the comparison to historical dictators and the Wests did not result in a guilty verdict, the court found Barton’s actions, including the superimposed image and derogatory remarks about diversity initiatives, to be grossly offensive. Barton faced accusations of spreading false information and inappropriate insinuations about Vine, emphasizing the seriousness of the repercussions for engaging in harmful online behavior
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