Joey Barton Convicted of Wife Assault: Social Media Reacts to Hypocritical Past Post
Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been convicted of assaulting his wife, Georgina Barton, prompting a wave of online backlash. The guilty verdict has resurfaced a 2015 social media post where Barton condemned domestic violence, labeling men who perpetrate such acts as “s***houses.” This apparent hypocrisy has ignited a firestorm of criticism across social media platforms.
Court Finds Barton Guilty of Assault
Barton, aged 42, was found guilty in court on Tuesday of assaulting his 36-year-old wife. The court heard that the incident occurred during a domestic dispute in June 2021, where Barton reportedly “kicked her in the head.” The assault resulted in Mrs. Barton sustaining a head injury, described as a “golf ball” sized lump.
Details of the Assault and Verdict
During a 999 emergency call presented to the court, Mrs. Barton stated her husband had “just hit me in the house.” Following the trial, Barton received a 12-week suspended sentence for the assault conviction.
Social Media Users Highlight Barton’s Contradictory Stance
Social media users swiftly unearthed a previous post from Barton on X (formerly Twitter), dated December 2015. In the post, Barton wrote: “How can you possibly hit women on multiple occasions and blame an incident a decade earlier. Men who hit women are nothing but s***houses.”
Joey Barton was found guilty of assault in court, avoiding immediate imprisonment.
An old social media post resurfaced, highlighting Barton’s perceived hypocrisy regarding domestic violence.
Online Reactions to the Verdict and Barton’s Post
Online responses varied, with one user commenting, “Aged like milk, again,” while another questioned, “There’s always a tweet.”
- Numerous internet users shared memes satirizing Barton’s perceived hypocrisy.
- Some individuals directly quoted Barton’s own words, labeling him a “s***house” in reaction to the guilty verdict.
Barton Pledges to Appeal Conviction
Following the guilty verdict, Barton expressed his “disappointment” with the magistrate’s decision on X. He stated, “Really disappointed in the magistrate’s decision today. Especially, after a judge 2 and a half years ago in Wimbledon Magistrates ruled in my favour.”
Barton further announced his intention to challenge the ruling, stating, “I intend to appeal this decision to a higher court, the crown court and whilst this process is ongoing that’s all I will say on the matter.”
Controversial Social Media Post After Verdict
In a subsequent post, Barton wrote “Tiocfaidh ár lá,” an Irish phrase meaning “our day will come.” This slogan, associated with Irish republicanism and often used during the Troubles, drew further criticism on social media due to its contentious connotations.
Wife’s Initial Lack of Support for Prosecution
It was revealed that Mrs. Barton had previously written to the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2022, indicating she no longer supported the case against her husband. Despite this, and the couple remaining married, the High Court ultimately decided in the past year that Barton should still face trial.
Court Rejects Claims of Accidental Injury
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, in delivering the guilty verdict, stated he believed both Barton and his wife had been untruthful to the court regarding the events of that night.
Social media users utilized Barton’s own words to criticize him after the assault verdict.
Memes, like this featuring Michael Scott from The Office, became a common form of online reaction to Barton’s situation.
Joey Barton has indicated he will appeal the court’s decision in a higher court.
Georgina Barton, pictured, was assaulted by her husband Joey Barton.
Mr. Goldspring stated, “I believe the veracity of the first account and it is supported by other evidence. The account on the telephone in the 999 call and to the attending officer is true.” He dismissed Mrs. Barton’s later account, given over eight months after the incident and repeated in court, as untrue.
The magistrate also rejected Mrs. Barton’s subsequent explanation that her injuries were accidental, deeming it “unbelievable.” He further noted inconsistencies and contradictions in the couple’s testimonies, concluding “they were not being truthful about what happened”.
Sentencing Remarks Condemn Barton’s Actions
In his sentencing remarks, Mr. Goldspring addressed Barton directly: “You’ve been found guilty of an offence of assaulting your wife.” He emphasized the sanctity of the home and the expectation of spousal protection, stating, “The one place your wife is entitled to feel safe and protected is her home, and the one person she is entitled to feel safe and protected by is you, and that’s not what happened in this case.”