Footballer Joey Barton arrested in Liverpool

Dec 27 2007

Joey Barton

HUYTON-born Premier League footballer Joey Barton was arrested over an alleged assault  following a night out in Liverpool.

The Newcastle United midfielder spent today in police cells after being picked up in the early  hours following his team's 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day.

It is believed Mr Barton was caught on CCTV cameras in Liverpool city centre allegedly ‘acting  aggressively’ at around 5.30am.

It is reported that officers were called and found two men in a fracas with Mr Barton, 25.

They claimed they were assaulted by the footballer during a 'scuffle' outside a mobile phone shop  on Church Street.

Last night police refused to reveal exactly what injuries the pair suffered, but a spokeswoman for  Merseyside police explained that a 25-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault, as  well as a 19-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman.

Last night a spokesman for Merseyside police said: “The preliminaries have taken longer than  expected which is why we don’t have a lot to say.

“I don’t know the extent of their injuries, but it is true that an ambulance was called and their  injuries were treated. I don’t know if they were treated en route or at hospital.

“One police foot patrol and one mobile patrol were alerted to the incident, which was reported by  phone. I think it is likely that the incident would have been captured on CCTV. Police patrols were  alerted at 5.36am.”

Mr Barton was allowed time to rest before officers began questioning him at Liverpool’s St Anne  Street police station yesterday evening.

He is believed to have been partying with friends in his home city after being sidelined from  Newcastle’s match on Wednesday night with an ankle injury.

Last night a Newcastle United spokesman said: “The club is aware of an incident but until there  is more information it would be inappropriate to comment.”

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

In 2004, City fined Mr Barton six weeks’ wages for stubbing a lit cigar into the eye of Jamie Tandy,  a youth-team player, at the club’s Christmas party and he was sent home from a preseason tour  to Thailand in 2005 after an incident in a bar, for which he was fined eight weeks’ wages.

Mr Barton grew up on Huyton’s Bluebell estate, where Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and  Portsmouth striker David Nugent also grew up.

Mr Barton began his football career in 2002 with Manchester City after working his way through  their youth system.

His appearances in the senior side gradually increased in regularity over a period of five years,  making more than 150 appearances for the club in total.

Good form at club level earned him his first cap for the England national team in February this  year. He joined current club Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million in July 2007.