Barton rants at malicious communications cost over Aluko ‘Rose West’ tweet

Joey Barton has been charged with alleged ‘malicious communications’ towards ex-England international and ITV pundit Eni Aluko.

The former Premier League footballer will appear in court on July 30 following an investigation by police. “A man from Widnes has been summoned to court to face charges of malicious communications,” a Cheshire Police statement read.

“Following an investigation by Cheshire Police, the Crown Prosecution Service has since authorised the charges for Joseph Barton. The 41-year-old will appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 30. The charges relate to reports of alleged malicious communications online, between Monday, January 1 and Thursday, January 18.”

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In January, Barton compared Aluko and fellow pundit Lucy Ward to the serial killers Fred and Rose West. The Wests murdered 12 women and young girls over the course of 20 years. Fred took his own life before facing trial while Rose was sentenced to 10 life terms, which she is currently serving in prison aged 70.

Barton responded to the charges on Twitter, writing: “I’m up next month for ‘malicious communications’ charge at Warrington Mag for Eni Aluko tweets.

“Crazy times we’re living in. Haven’t the Police got enough on their hands? British system is becoming a Banana Republic. Lawfare used against its own citizens for having a dissenting voice.”

Following the coverage by Aluko and Ward during Crystal Palace and Everton’s FA Cup draw in January, Barton had written on social media: “How is she even talking about Men’s football.

“She can’t even kick a ball properly. Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low. Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”

Aluko explained to BBC Breakfast in February how her life has been impacted by the rants. “I can only describe it as waves caving in on you,” she said. “I think the nature of Joey Barton’s tweets were consecutive over the course of a week.

“There were several tweets, he continued to double-down even after ITV came out in mine and Lucy Ward’s defence, and actually was deliberately trying to get worse and incite other people to say the same. This is probably one of the worst cases of social media abuse I’ve ever experienced.”

The 102-time England international previously slammed social media for given Barton the audience and platform. “It’s not something I’ve not experienced before, it’s part of a culture that I think many women in broadcasting have had to put up with for a long time now. But here you have somebody in Joey Barton who has millions of followers who is actively targeting people like me in order to generate attention on X,” Aluko posted.

“Certain people’s freedom of speech, like Joey Barton, which is hateful and attacks people on the basis of their gender and their race is being actively promoted and that’s where I think we really need to start thinking about what the social media platforms like X, how much responsibility and how much negligence they have.”

More to follow…

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