Joey Barton refused bail after Liverpool 'assault'

Dec 28 2007

Joey Barton

HUYTON-BORN Premiership  footballer Joey Barton will  spend New Year in jail after  being remanded on charges of  common assault and affray  yesterday.

The 25-year-old Newcastle  United and England midfielder  was arrested in Liverpool  early on Thursday following  an alleged incident in the city  centre.

Barton, of Foxbank Close,  Widnes, Cheshire, appeared at  Liverpool Magistrates’ Court  on Dale Street.

The court was told he and a  group of friends were allegedly  involved in two separate  incidents following a row with  another group inside the  McDonald’s restaurant in  Church Street, Liverpool.

Magistrate Carol Myers  remanded Barton in custody  and said there were no  conditions to satisfy the  requirements of the Bail Act.  The player had sat through the  hearing, still wearing his black  shirt and jumper from Boxing  Day night, with his head  bowed and hidden from the  press and public gallery.

Barton’s solicitor, Gwyn  Lewis, said the 11-minute long  incident was the result of a  “great deal of provocation”. He  said: “It is fair to say there was  an enormous amount of  provocation.”

The case is due back before  Liverpool Magistrates on  January 3 when Barton is  expected to appear via  videolink.

A spokesman for Newcastle  United said the club was not  yet making any statement.

His agent, Willie McKay, was  not immediately available for  comment.

Barton’s brother, Andrew, 19,  from Widnes, is charged with  actual bodily harm and affray  and Nadine Wilson, 27, from  Huyton, Merseyside, who was  also part of Barton’s group, is  charged with common assault  and affray.

Neither appeared in court  yesterday. They are both on  bail to appear before  magistrates next month.

Barton is currently awaiting  trial over a training ground  fight with former team-mate  Ousmane Dabo of Manchester  City.

He grew up on the well- known Bluebell Estate in  Huyton which has also  produced the likes of Liverpool  FC captain Steven Gerrard and  Portsmouth striker David  Nugent.
 
Barton earned his first  international cap in February  but has failed to secure a  regular place in the England  team. Manager Sam Allardyce  persuaded Newcatle United to  pay £5.8m for his services in  July, a move widely seen as  somewhat of a gamble given  the star’s chequered past.
 
Barton gave a revealing  indepth interview to Gabby  Logan earlier this year in  which he spoke of the public’s  misconceived perception of  him.