'Crossed the Line': Ex-BBC and Man City Star Joey Barton Accused of Online Campaign to Humiliate Pundits

Once known for his tough tackles on the pitch, Joey Barton now stands accused of launching a 'deliberate online campaign to humiliate' fellow broadcasters Lucy Ward, Eni Aluko and Jeremy Vine, in what prosecutors say was an effort to weaponise his social media following to cause maximum embarrassment.

The 43-year-old former footballer is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court facing 12 counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety. The charges relate to posts published on X (formerly Twitter) between January and March 2024.

Prosecution: Barton 'Crossed the Line Between Free Speech and Crime'

Opening the case, Peter Wright KC told jurors that Barton's posts went far beyond legitimate commentary or banter. While the former footballer was entitled to express controversial opinions, the prosecutor said, he had 'crossed the line between free speech and a crime on 12 occasions'.

Wright said Barton's remarks and images were 'beyond the pale of what is tolerable in society' and amounted to an 'intentional campaign to ridicule and distress'.

Barton allegedly posted that the pair were 'the Fred and Rose West of commentary', later sharing a manipulated image placing their faces over those of the serial killers.

Wright told the jury that Barton 'had cultivated a publicly expressed disapproval of female commentators in what he sees as the male preserve of football'. He said Barton's posts were 'a deliberate course of conduct intended to cause distress or anxiety'.

Targeting Jeremy Vine

The court also heard that Barton's online attacks extended to BBC presenter Jeremy Vine, whom he referred to as a 'bike nonce' after Vine publicly expressed concern about Barton's behaviour.

Vine had earlier questioned on X whether the former footballer might have suffered a brain injury, following Barton's comparison of two female pundits to serial killers.

In response, Barton published a series of posts about the broadcaster, including one in which he implied Vine should be reported to the police if seen near a primary school.

The prosecution described Barton's comments and accompanying images as 'defamatory, puerile and infantile behaviour by a grown man', claiming they were intended to cause distress.

The exchange ultimately led to a separate defamation claim brought by Jeremy Vine earlier this year.

In May 2024, the High Court ruled in Vine's favour, finding that Barton's posts were 'seriously defamatory' and amounted to a 'calculated and sustained attack'.

The judge said Barton's suggestion that Vine was a paedophile was 'obviously untrue and gravely damaging'.

That judgment, legal observers say, may weigh heavily in the current criminal proceedings, underscoring the blurred line between defamation, online abuse, and criminal harassment.

Social Media Influence and Audience Reach

Wright told jurors that Barton had 'a sizeable following on X in excess of two million', which prosecutors said amplified the impact of his posts far beyond those he directly named.

Legal observers say the trial could test the limits of online free speech in the UK and how courts distinguish between offensive opinion and criminal harassment.

Barton Denies All Charges

Barton, who made more than 400 career appearances for clubs including Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers, Burnley, and Marseille, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

While he has not issued an official statement regarding the ongoing proceedings, Barton has previously suggested on X that 'free speech in the UK has been attacked and undermined', a sentiment consistent with his broader online commentary about public debate and accountability.

He was dismissed as manager of Bristol Rovers in October 2023, after nearly three years in charge, and has since focused on social media commentary about football, politics, and current affairs.

The trial at Liverpool Crown Court is expected to last two weeks.