Print

Mail

wiki links

Judge releases bad boy Barton despite upgrade of charge

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton was released on bail by a judge on Thursday even though an assault charge against him had been upgraded to a more serious one.

The decision by Liverpool's Crown Court came hours after a lower court had refused the player bail saying he was likely to "commit offences" if he were released from prison.

Barton, who has made one appearance for England, had been held since he was arrested in the early hours of Dec. 27 in central Liverpool. He has missed Newcastle's games against Chelsea and Manchester City, both of them losses, and Liverpool Magistrates Court initially refused him bail on Thursday.

His lawyer, Daniel Weed, made a bail application to Judge David Swift at Liverpool Crown Court later in the day and announced afterward that it had been granted.

Together with his 19-year-old brother, Andrew Barton, the player is charged with assault and affray. At Thursday's hearing, the assault charge against Joey Barton was upgraded to causing physical injury.

A 27-year-old woman, Nadine Wilson, faces a less serious charge of assault and affray. Both she and Andrew Barton have been released on bail and all three are due to appear again in court on Jan. 16.

The police have alleged that Barton and his friends were involved in two separate incidents following an altercation with another group inside a fast food restaurant.

At a previous hearing, Barton's lawyer Gwyn Lewis said the player was being "goaded" in the street and reacted after a female member of his group was attacked.

Television pictures showed Barton leaving prison late on Thursday before being escorted into a car and driven away.

An official at Liverpool Crown Court would not say what conditions Barton was under, but said the judge had specified that they should be "very stringent."

The BBC said he had been granted conditional bail as it was feared his fame might lead him to be targeted by other inmates if he remained in prison until his next court appearance.
This story has been viewed 1168 times.