Joey Barton ordered to pay £300k in damages to former England star in libel case
Barton was found guilty of posting harmful content around the claimant on social media
Former England star Eni Aluko has been awarded more than £300,000 in damages and legal costs after successfully bringing a libel claim against ex-footballer and manager Joey Barton.
The case was heard at the High Court in London, where it was confirmed that proceedings had been stayed and Barton was ordered to pay substantial damages, along with Aluko’s legal costs, following the dispute over posts made on X in 2024.
Barrister Gervase de Wilde, representing Aluko, told the court that Barton had wrongly accused the former England international of attempting to exploit allegations of racism and bullying.
De Wilde said that in two specific posts Barton had falsely claimed Aluko had “cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying”, while also describing her as a hypocrite.
Barton, who previously managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers did not attend the hearing. The former Marseille man was arrested earlier in the week and was currently being held in custody following an assault charge relating to an incident near a golf course on Merseyside.
De Wilde said Barton had posted extensively about Aluko on his X account throughout 2024.
“Between January and August 2024, Mr Barton published 48 posts relating to Ms Aluko,” he told the court, describing the activity as “a deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification”.
One of the posts included an image in which Aluko’s head had been superimposed onto the body of serial killer Rosemary West.
“The campaign amounted to an attack on multiple aspects of her life and personality,” De Wilde said.
“Mr Barton’s campaign caused Ms Aluko enormous distress. When she sought to defend herself against Mr Barton’s conduct, and that of his followers, he criticised and attacked her for doing so.
“Ms Aluko was concerned that however she tried to stop the harassment, Mr Barton would exploit and manipulate it to use against her.”
“Mr Barton has now accepted that his campaign against Ms Aluko amounted to harassment and that he should not have made the publications.”
A court order seen by the Press Association confirmed Barton must pay £339,000 in damages and costs, with the first £100,000 plus interest due by March 24.
Barton has been given seven days to apply to vary the order.