LIVERPOOL, England, 8 November (H.S.): Former professional footballer Joey Barton was found guilty on six counts of sending grossly offensive social media posts, concluding a trial that has ignited a national conversation on the boundaries of free speech. The conviction stems from a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, targeting broadcaster Jeremy Vine and football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court determined that Barton, 43, had crossed the line between free speech and a crime with his online remarks made between January and March 2024. The posts included comparing Aluko and Ward to the notorious serial killers Fred and Rose West and referring to Vine as a bike nonce.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that Barton's tirade constituted a form of bullying, with prosecutor Peter Wright KC labeling him a little bully who takes pleasure sitting there with his phone in his hand and then posting these slurs.
Barton's defense contended that his comments were a form of dark and stupid humour and that he was attempting to make a serious point in a provocative way. He claimed his description of Vine was crude banter and not intended to imply the presenter was a paedophile.
However, the jury convicted him on a post suggesting Vine had visited Epstein island and another that urged people to call emergency services if they saw him near a primary school.The court heard testimony from the victims detailing the significant distress caused by Barton's posts. Lucy Ward described feeling physically scared and intimidated by the online abuse, to the point where she felt vulnerable attending football matches.
Eni Aluko stated she was devastated and that the comments had a profound impact on her, especially given a previously supportive online relationship with Barton. Jeremy Vine testified that the accusations left him in pieces and that he had to take legal action to stop the harassment.While Barton was convicted on six counts, he was cleared of six other similar charges.
One of the acquitted charges related to a mock apology to Aluko where he compared her to dictators Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot. Judge Andrew Menary KC, who presided over the case, warned Barton against any further social media commentary on the case before his sentencing on December 8. The judge also ordered a pre-sentence report and reminded Barton that his bail conditions prohibit him from mentioning his victims.
Following the verdict, the Crown Prosecution Service affirmed the jury's decision, stating that Barton's conduct had gone beyond any joke.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
