Joey Barton Claims State Conspiracy Amid Trial Fears
At Liverpool Crown Court, former footballer Joey Barton alleged that his trial for posting abusive tweets was part of a larger state conspiracy, which he said ITV had pressured police to pursue.
During two hours of cross-examination, Barton described the proceedings as a "hatchet job" and expressed his fear of going to prison, accusing the prosecuting barrister of treating the trial like a game.
"I felt it was a political prosecution from the moment of the knock on the door. A political prosecution which ITV put them up to. The police force in this country has been politicised and I knew that if I said stuff, one day I would be in front of the crown."
He also criticized prosecution witness Jeremy Vine, accusing him of having "main character syndrome" and of "snarling" at him in court. Barton maintained that the case was baseless and rooted in backlash to his criticism of ITV’s female football pundits.
Background
- Barton, aged 43, faces charges related to offensive social media posts.
- He previously played for Manchester City and several other clubs.
- The case has drawn media attention due to its political undertones and Barton's public comments.
Author’s Summary
Joey Barton denounces his abusive tweets trial as politically motivated, claiming ITV influenced police actions and expressing concern over a biased justice process.