Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of assaulting his wife, Georgia Barton, during a drunken argument at their home in Kew, southwest London, in June 2021.
The incident occurred when the couple had been drinking with friends while their children slept upstairs, and an argument erupted over a family matter.
According to prosecutors, Barton grabbed his wife, pushed her over, and kicked her in the head, leaving her with a lump on her forehead and a bleeding nose. Georgia Barton initially called 999, reporting that her husband had hit her, but later retracted her statement in a letter.
Despite her retraction, prosecutors argued that her emergency call was “compelling evidence” and not influenced by alcohol, as Barton had claimed. The court also heard that Barton had a history of violence, but magistrate Paul Goldspring deemed an immediate prison sentence unnecessary.
Barton was handed a 12-week suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay £2,183 in court costs and victim surcharges.
This conviction adds to Barton’s legal woes, including a 2012 red card for violent conduct in a match against Manchester City, and recent charges for sending offensive messages to broadcaster Jeremy Vine and commentator Lucy Ward.
