PREMIER League footballer Joey Barton was yesterday told to set an example to fans who idolised him by the judge who spared him jail.
The 25-year-old Newcastle United midfielder received a four-month suspended sentence for assaulting his former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo during a training session.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said Barton, who was born in Huyton, responded in a "ferocious way" to a "harmless" push by Dabo on May 1 last year.
He punched Dabo up to five times leaving him unconscious and covered in blood.
Barton was on bail over the incident when he got involved in a fight outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Liverpool city centre last December.
He is currently serving a six-month jail term after admitting assault and affray in that case, but is expected to be released in the next few weeks with an electronic tag.
The judge told Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester there was a build up of hostilities between Barton and Dabo after the former publicly criticised City’s overseas players for underperforming.
Barton also bad-mouthed Dabo’s performance to then-manager Stuart Pearce during a game against Portsmouth in February last year and urged his manager to "take him off, he’s s***".
Those tensions erupted in the fiery training match as Barton rode one lunging tackle from Dabo and quipped: "You’re not even good enough to do me."
Judge Khokhar told him: "As a professional footballer you are someone who is talented and greatly idolised by young and old alike, whether you are playing at Manchester City or now at Newcastle United.
"You are constantly in the public eye. You have a high profile, there would be instances of provocation from others. Being high profile and being an idol brings with it responsibilities which you have to carry with you all the time. "You want to be setting an example to others, particularly to those who idolise you, particularly youngsters who look up to you."
Barton pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The four-month sentence is suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay £3,000 compensation to his victim and court costs of £3,430.
Barton will also be supervised by the Probation Service for nine months.
Barton’s defence team requested the midfielder be transferred from Strangeways prison in Manchester to Walton, Liverpool, while he awaited his release as he had made most of his progress at the latter establishment.
Newcastle United released a brief statement saying the club would speak to Barton as soon as possible following sentencing.
It said: "Newcastle United notes the sentence passed to Joey Barton at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court.
"The club now intends to hold discussions with Joey and his representatives at the earliest possible opportunity."
