Former footballer Joey Barton has been handed a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of assaulting his wife, Georgia Barton, during a drunken row.
Ex-Premier League star Joey Barton, 42, kicked his wife in the head, leaving her with a “golf ball-sized” lump on her forehead during an altercation at their southwest London home on 2 June 2021. The incident occurred following a day of heavy drinking with friends.
Guilty verdict and sentencing
On Tuesday, Judge Paul Goldspring found Barton guilty of assault by beating at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, branding him a liar and stating that he did not believe the couple’s version of events.
“The one place she is entitled to feel safe is her home, and the one person she is entitled to feel safe from is you, and that’s not what happened in this case,” Judge Goldspring said.
Barton was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, meaning he will not serve time behind bars unless he commits another offence.
The judge rejected Mrs Barton’s later claim that her injuries were accidental, instead accepting her initial distress call to emergency services as the truthful account.
“The account on the telephone in the 999 call and to the attending officer is true. I reject the account by Mrs Barton over eight months later and repeated in the witness box by her.”
Distressing 999 call and evidence in court
Following the assault, Mrs Barton made a 999 call, telling the operator:
“My husband just hit me in the house.”
When police arrived at their home, she repeated the allegation to PC Daniel Humphrey, who later testified that she had a swollen lump on her forehead and blood on her nose.
However, in the months that followed, Mrs Barton withdrew her allegations and later defended her husband in court, insisting:
“I’m not a victim. I’ve never been a victim.”
She claimed she had been drunk on the night of the incident and did not recall how she had been injured.
Despite this, the judge dismissed her later statements, ruling that her first account was the most credible.
Barton’s defence and planned appeal
Barton denied the allegations, stating that he had not touched his wife and had gone to bed unaware that she was injured.
His lawyer, Simon Csoka KC, argued that Mrs Barton’s injuries were not consistent with being kicked by a professional footballer, particularly as Barton was either barefoot or wearing flip-flops at the time.
Barton later took to social media to express his disappointment with the verdict, announcing plans to appeal the decision.
“Really disappointed in the magistrate’s decision today,” he wrote.
“I intend to appeal this decision to a higher court, the crown court, and whilst this process is ongoing, that’s all I will say on the matter.”
He later posted a message in Irish Gaelic, translating to “our day will come”.
History of violence
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This is not Barton’s first run-in with the law.
- In 2008, he was jailed for six months for affray and assault after an attack in Liverpool city centre.
- The same year, he received a four-month suspended sentence for assaulting his Manchester City teammate Ousmane Dabo during a training ground altercation.
Court’s criticism and prosecution’s case
The judge criticised Barton for remaining silent during his police interview, stating that if he had been innocent, he could have given an explanation at the time.
Prosecutor Helena Duong argued that Mrs Barton’s original account was the most reliable, suggesting Barton had:
“Grabbed her, pushed her to the ground, and kicked her in the head.”
Conclusion
Barton must now adhere to strict conditions following his suspended sentence, and his legal battle is not yet over as he plans to appeal the ruling.
The case highlights the challenges surrounding domestic violence cases, particularly when victims later retract their statements, and raises questions about accountability and justice in high-profile incidents.
