Joey Barton Net Worth, Age, Bio, Case, Apology & Controversies

Former footballer Joey Barton, who has an estimated wealth of £5.8 million, has publicly apologised to broadcaster Jeremy Vine and agreed to pay him £75,000 in damages. Barton, 41, had made a number of abusive posts on social media, calling Vine a “bike nonce” and a “paedo defender”.

What did Joey Barton post about Jeremy Vine?

Joey Barton posted 14 derogatory comments about Jeremy Vine on Twitter, popularly known as X. These posts included calling Vine a “big bike nonce” and a “pedo defender”. Vine sued Barton for defamation and harassment for these posts. The High Court ruled that 11 of the posts had a defamatory meaning. Barton initially vowed to fight the case but later admitted defeat.

Barton humbly apologised and acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations. He said the allegations were false and that he had revealed the truth. He also admitted that Wine mocked and abused him for bringing a legal complaint against him.

How did Jeremy Vine respond to the apology?

Jeremy Vine said the payment is not the end of the dispute. He claimed that more damages would come. In his statement, Vine highlighted the ongoing nature of Barton’s attacks. He noted that Barton’s posts created a significant and sustained social media attack.

Vine’s lawyer Gervase de Wilde described the attack as premeditated and linked Vine to notorious figures such as Rolf Harris, Jimmy Savile and Jeffrey Epstein. The offensive posts suggested Vine had a sexual interest in children, which Barton’s lewd comments reinforced.

What was the outcome of the High Court case?

The High Court found that Barton had given his followers the strong impression that Vine had a sexual interest in children. The judge ruled that the use of words like “nones” and “pedo” together further strengthened this impression. Barton argued that he was mocking Vine and that no one would actually think he was calling Vine a pedophile. However, the court disagreed, stressing the seriousness of the allegations.

Barton agreed to pay Vine £75,000 in damages and legal costs. He also promised not to make the same allegations again and apologised for the distress caused to Vine.

What are the next steps in a legal dispute?

Jeremy Vine said there were more damages to be paid. He said Barton ignored an initial offer to settle the case after five abusive tweets. Instead, Barton posted more abusive material and even published Vine’s home address.

Vine’s statement highlighted that the legal battle is far from over. Further steps have been taken, including court statements of apology, and Barton has agreed to cover all of Vine’s legal costs. Vine is approaching Barton for further damages relating to additional defamatory tweets.

What impact did Barton’s post have?

Barton’s defamatory post had a huge impact on Jeremy Vine. The post was viewed millions of times, spreading false and damaging allegations. Vine’s reputation was tarnished and he suffered a lot due to online harassment.

The High Court ruling and Barton’s subsequent apology is an important development in this legal battle. It underlines the importance of accountability for defamatory statements made on social media.

What were Barton’s other controversies?

Joey Barton has also been involved in other online controversies. He criticised female footballers and pundits in a number of posts. This led to a separate lawsuit from TV pundit and former footballer Eni Aluko, who is suing Barton over an online attack about her family.

Barton’s online behaviour has led to a number of legal controversies, highlighting the consequences of making abusive and harassing comments on social media.

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