Ex-footballer Joey Barton guilty of posting grossly offensive messages on social media

Ex-footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of posting grossly offensive messages on social media. A jury at Liverpool Crown Court convicted him of six counts of sending electronic communications intended to cause distress. Barton denied these claims, asserting he was a victim of political prosecution.

The jury decided he "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" with posts on X, previously known as Twitter. In one instance, Barton compared commentators Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to infamous murderers, which the jury deemed grossly offensive.

Another post suggested broadcaster Jeremy Vine had inappropriate inclinations, which Vine found deeply distressing. Barton described his posts as "dark and stupid humour."