Court Former Rovers boss given suspended jail term for online posts

FORMER Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton has been spared jail after sending grossly offensive social media posts about broadcaster Jeremy Vine and TV football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko.

- Kim PILLING

Joey Barton, who has been spared jail after sending grossly offensive social media posts about broadcaster Jeremy Vine and TV football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko

Last month a jury at Liverpool Crown Court found Barton, 43, had "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" with six posts on X, formerly Twitter.

Following a televised FA Cup tie in January 2024 between Crystal Palace and Everton he likened Ward and Aluko to the "Fred and Rose West of football commentary" and went on to superimpose their faces on to a photograph of the serial murderers.

In another post about Aluko, Barton said: "Only there to tick boxes. DEI is a load of ****. Affirmative action. All off the back of the BLM/ George Floyd nonsense."

Barton was the manager of Bristol Rovers from February 2021 until he was sacked in October 2023. During his tenure he led the club to a dramatic promotion back to League One in the 2021-22 season.