Joey Barton ‘attacked wife after drinking four bottles of wine’

Former Man City midfielder Joey Barton attacked his wife and left a lump the size of a ‘golf ball’ her head after drinking four bottles of wine, a court heard today (fri).

The Bristol Rovers boss allegedly hit wife Georgia Barton, 35, outside a property in Kew, southwest London, on 2 June last year.

The attack is said to have happened two days before their wedding anniversary.

Barton, 39, sat in the dock at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court wearing a black-knit jumper and black-rimmed glasses.

Prosecutor Helena Duong said: ‘On the evening of the 2 June Mrs Barton calls 999 at 20:14 and says that she has just been hit in her house by her husband and she asks for police officers to attend urgently.

‘At 23:38 the police officers attend, and they speak to her present outside the house waiting for police officers to arrive.

‘She is there with another friend.

‘She gives her first full account of what it is she says happened and in that account she says that she had gotten into a drunken fight, a disagreement about families, with her husband and that she had been pushed down and kicked about and stuff.

‘Then she shows the officers an injury to her head…which is described by an officer as a lump the size of a golf ball.

‘She confirms that that is where she was hit in her head by her husband.

‘When she touches it there is blood on her hands which seems to have come from a bloody nose.’

The court heard that her husband was asleep upstairs when police arrived and arrested him.

‘The Crown’s case is that he was still intoxicated at that point,’ Ms Duong added.

‘Later on, he gives a no comment interview.

Joey Barton and his wife 

‘The issue in this case…is that Mr Barton denies assaulting his wife at all.’

Counsel entered into arguments about a letter Mrs Barton sent to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dated 17 February this year.

Ms Duong said: ‘Today I have been provided with a copy of the letter that Mrs Barton [sent] in which she sets out what she now says was her account of what occurred.

‘In the Crown’s submission it is in stark contrast to the objective evidence that was available and contradictory to her first account.

‘She has given an account some eight months later after the incident and in the Crown’s submission it is plainly an attempt to exculpate her husband.’

The court heard the couple are still in a relationship.

Simon Csoka, defending, said the prosecution should take a witness statement from Mrs Barton today.

Speaking about Mrs Barton’s letter, Mr Csoka said it recounted how the couple were having dinner with friends.

‘They all had about four or five bottles of wine each,’ Mr Csoka said.

‘What she is suggesting is that the injury was caused accidentally when friends intervened in the argument.’

Ms Duong said the prosecution would not take a witness statement, explaining they never intended to call Mrs Barton as a witness.

‘The prosecution case is brought, as my learned friend says, on the 999 call and the body worn footage,’ she added.

A recording of the 999 call and the body worn footage were ruled admissible by a previous judge.

District Judge Andrew Sweet has adjourned the hearing for a short break to allow counsel to discuss how to proceed.

Previously, Barton denied he was violent towards his wife and suggested she had been ‘drinking heavily’ and ‘exaggerated’ the incident, two days before their anniversary.

The former Premier League footballer, having also played for QPR and Burnley, made one appearance for England in a friendly against Spain in 2017.

He retired from playing in 2018 and has also managed Fleetwood Town in League One.

Bristol Rovers are currently the form team in League Two after a series of wins.

Barton, of Widnes, Cheshire, denies assault by beating.

Barton’s trial has been adjourned for three months.

Defence counsel have been given the time to argue their case regarding admissibility of evidence and that the prosecution’s actions amount to an abuse of process.

Ms Duong said that the prosecution were not going to call Mrs Barton as a witness or take a new statement from her.

Mr Csoka told the court that this was potentially an abuse of process on the grounds of ‘manipulation’.

He said that the prosecution have a duty to ‘pursue all lines of enquiry’ which they fail to do in not taking a witness statement from Mrs Barton after the change to her account made in her letter.

District Judge Sweet said: ‘I think it would be unwise to rush things today.

‘So I think we will adjourn.

‘I say that with a heavy heart because I know the history of this case.’

A new trial date is set for 23 June at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court and Barton will remain on unconditional bail until then.