Former Football Star Convicted Over Online Abuse
Ex-professional footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of sending grossly offensive social media messages about broadcaster Jeremy Vine and sports pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward. The 43-year-old former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, 7th November 2025.
A jury determined that Barton crossed the line between free speech and criminal behaviour with six separate posts on the social media platform X. The former Marseille player, who boasts 2.6 million followers on the platform, had faced twelve counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety between January and March last year.
Shocking Comparisons and Allegations
Among the most disturbing posts cited in court was Barton's comparison of sports commentators Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killers Fred and Rose West. The former midfielder shared an image that superimposed the pundits' faces onto a photograph of the notorious murderers.
In another post, Barton described Aluko as being in the Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot category, claiming she had murdered millions of football fans' ears through her commentary. The court heard how Barton also targeted broadcaster Jeremy Vine with deeply offensive suggestions.
After Vine questioned whether Barton had suffered a brain injury, the ex-footballer repeatedly referred to the presenter as a bike nonce and asked if he had visited Jeffrey Epstein's infamous island, implying Vine had a sexual interest in children.
Defence Arguments and Prosecution Response
During the trial, Barton claimed he was a victim of political prosecution and denied using the posts to generate clicks and promote himself. He described his comments about Ward and Aluko as dark and stupid humour, insisting he was trying to make a serious point in a provocative way.
His remarks about Vine were dismissed as crude banter, with Barton claiming the term bike nonce was commonly used by non-cyclists about cyclists. He strongly denied intending to imply that Vine was a paedophile.
However, prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the court that Barton had crossed the line by some considerable margin beyond what is tolerable in civilised society. He described Barton as an undiluted, unapologetic bully who took pleasure in posting slurs from behind his phone.
Mr Wright emphasised that Ward, Aluko and Vine were merely collateral damage of Barton's self-promotion campaign, stating the former player was neither a free speech crusader nor a martyr to political correctness.
Free Speech Versus Criminal Behaviour
In his closing speech, defence barrister Simon Csoka KC urged jurors to carefully consider where they drew the line between free speech and criminal conduct. He warned that if the bar was set too low, free speech would become completely worthless.
Mr Csoka argued that protecting free expression in society comes with a price, including tolerating comments that might be puerile, offensive, hurtful or in bad taste. He maintained that Barton's idiotic and offensive tweets did not cross the threshold into grossly offensive criminal behaviour.
The jury ultimately disagreed, convicting Barton on six counts while clearing him of six others. The verdict sends a clear message about the boundaries of acceptable behaviour on social media platforms, even for high-profile figures with large followings.
Barton, who later managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, continues to maintain his innocence despite the convictions. The case has sparked wider discussions about accountability for online behaviour and the limits of free speech in the digital age.
