DEVELOPING: Joey Barton Found Guilty Over Highly Offensive Social Media Posts

Breaking News: Former Footballer Joey Barton Found Guilty of Grossly Offensive Social Media Posts Former footballer Joey Barton, 43, has been convicted of six counts of sending "grossly offensive" social media posts directed at broadcaster Jeremy Vine and television pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko. The verdict was delivered at Liverpool Crown Court on an unknown date, but the exact date is not specified in the available information. Barton's conviction stems from posts sent between January and March 2024, in which he compared Aluko and Ward to the serial killer couple Fred and Rose West, and called Vine a "bike nonce". The prosecution argued that Barton had "crossed the line between free speech and a crime". Barton was cleared of six other counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety. The judge, Andrew Menary KC, has warned Barton about wearing a scarf printed with a British flag in the dock, calling it a "stunt", and has prohibited him from wearing it during his sentencing hearing on December 8. Barton's bail conditions also prohibit him from mentioning the three victims in any way before he is sentenced. The exact date of the sentencing hearing is set for December 8. This is a developing story, and we will provide further updates as more information becomes available.