Joey Barton, the former Premier League footballer, has been handed a suspended prison sentence for kicking his wife, Georgia Barton, in the head during a drunken altercation at their home in southwest London. The incident, which occurred in June 2021, left Mrs Barton with a “golf ball-sized” lump on her forehead. Despite making an initial 999 call alleging the assault, Mrs Barton later retracted her statement, insisting in court that she was not a victim.
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During the trial, Judge Paul Goldspring found Barton guilty of assault, rejecting the couple’s later claims that Mrs Barton’s injuries were accidental. The judge emphasised that the 999 call and Mrs Barton’s initial statement to the police were credible, but their later accounts were not. As a result, Barton was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he will avoid jail unless he commits another offence within the next two years.
Barton expressed his disappointment with the verdict, stating his intention to appeal the decision in a higher court. He has previously been convicted of affray and assault in separate incidents and has served time in prison. Barton denied assaulting his wife, claiming he went to bed unaware that she had been injured.
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The case has sparked discussions around domestic violence, with Mrs Barton initially pleading for the trial to be stopped and insisting she had never been a victim. Barton has been ordered to pay £2,055 in costs.
