LONDON (Reuters) -Former British soccer player and coach Joey Barton was convicted on Friday of six counts of sending offensive social media posts to two ex-players and a broadcaster, though he was cleared of six more charges.
Barton, 43, was charged over X posts sent to former England international Eni Aluko, former player-turned-pundit Lucy Ward and BBC presenter Jeremy Vine in early 2024.
Prosecutors said the messages sent by Barton, who played for clubs including Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers and managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, "crossed the line between free speech and a crime".
Barton had previously made several appearances in court, having been convicted earlier this year of assaulting his wife and in 2024 ordered to pay damages to Vine after a separate civil libel lawsuit.
He argued his posts were provocative or meant to be "banter", and not intended to cause distress or anxiety.
After a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Barton was convicted of six counts but cleared of six other charges. He is expected to be sentenced next month.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Ken Ferris)
