Former Premier League midfielder Joey Barton has been denied bail following a court hearing at Liverpool Crown Court. The 43-year-old, who hails from Widnes in Cheshire, has remained in custody since March 10 when he first appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.
Court Proceedings and Bail Decision
On Friday, Judge David Potter refused a bail application for Barton during proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court. The majority of the bail hearing was conducted in private, with the judge subsequently announcing his ruling in open court. Barton did not attend the hearing personally but was represented by his barrister, Simon Csoka KC.
The former footballer is charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance at Liverpool Crown Court on April 7.
Alleged Incident Details
Barton and his co-defendant, 50-year-old Gary O'Grady from Huyton in Merseyside, are accused of attacking Kevin Lynch near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club on March 8. Following the magistrates' court hearing, O'Grady was released on conditional bail, while Barton's bail application has now been refused.
Barton's Football Career and Post-Retirement Activities
Joey Barton enjoyed a distinguished football career that spanned several prominent clubs. He played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, and Queens Park Rangers in the English Premier League, earning one England cap during his international career. His professional journey also included stints at Rangers, Burnley, and Marseille before he retired from playing in 2017.
Following his retirement from professional football, Barton transitioned into management roles. He managed Fleetwood Town between 2018 and 2021 before taking charge at Bristol Rovers from 2021 to 2023. More recently, he has hosted the podcast 'Common Sense With Joey Barton', which is described as providing an unfiltered perspective on issues in sport, society, and politics.
Recent Legal Developments
Earlier this month, Barton was ordered to pay former England international Eni Aluko more than £300,000 in damages and legal costs after being sued for libel. In the libel case, barrister Gervase De Wilde, who represented Aluko, stated that Barton's social media posts had wrongly claimed she had cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying, while also calling her a hypocrite.
The barrister further revealed that between January and August 2024, Barton published 48 posts relating to Ms Aluko on his X account, describing this as a deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification. This legal development adds to the former footballer's current legal challenges as he faces the assault charges that have now resulted in his bail being denied.
