Former footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of assaulting his wife, Georgia Barton, by kicking her in the head during a domestic incident at their family home in southwest London. The conviction was delivered on March 25 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The assault occurred in June 2021, following an alcohol-fuelled argument involving the couple and two other couples while their children slept upstairs. The disagreement escalated, leading Barton to grab his wife, push her to the ground, and kick her in the head.
Shortly after the attack, Mrs Barton made a distressing 999 call to the police, saying her husband had “just hit me.” Although she later attempted to retract her allegations in a letter to prosecutors, her initial call was deemed compelling evidence of the assault.
During the trial, prosecutor Helena Duong highlighted that Mrs Barton described the assault “in clear terms” during her emergency call. Ms Duong further noted that Mrs Barton’s bloody nose was “an injury that really requires an explanation,” dismissing Barton’s claim that the injury may have been accidental.
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring, who presided over the case, rejected Barton’s account of events as “vague” and subsequently convicted him of a single charge of assault by beating after a two-day trial.
The 42-year-old Barton, who previously played for Premier League clubs and earned one cap for England, admitted to having an argument with his wife but denied any physical violence. However, the court heard how he was found asleep and still drunk when police arrived to arrest him in his bedroom.
Barton’s lawyer, Simon Csoka, argued that it was unclear when the injury occurred in relation to the emergency call and suggested the injury could have been sustained accidentally. He also referenced Mrs Barton’s retraction letter, which claimed her injuries were accidentally caused by a friend who intervened during the argument.
Despite her efforts to withdraw the allegations, Barton was ultimately found guilty. The couple remains married and continues to live together.
Joey Barton has been handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence by Westminster Magistrates’ Court. His conviction adds to a list of previous controversies during his footballing career, raising further concerns over his conduct off the pitch.
