Former England midfielder Joey Barton has been found guilty of assault by beating after attacking his wife, Georgia Barton, during a drunken argument at their home in Kew, southwest London.
The 42-year-old, who played for Manchester City and QPR before managing Bristol Rovers, pushed his wife to the floor and kicked her in the head during the June 2021 incident. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that the altercation began after Barton threatened to fight his wife’s brother and father while drinking with friends.
Mrs. Barton, 38, suffered a lump on her forehead and a bleeding nose. She called the police immediately after the attack but later retracted her allegations in a letter to prosecutors.
Despite this, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring rejected Barton’s defense, calling his account “vague.” While acknowledging Barton’s history of violence, the judge sentenced him to a 12-week suspended prison term, citing his continued relationship with his wife and their young child as a mitigating factor.
Barton, who intends to appeal the verdict, was also ordered to pay £2,183 in victim surcharge and prosecution costs.
