Premiership Midfielder Barton Jailed For Attack

A Premiership footballer has been sentenced to a jail term for assault and affray.

Joey Barton, 25, of Widnes, has been jailed for six months for his part in an altercation outside a McDonald's restaurant in Liverpool last December.

Barton, who is a Newcastle United and England midfielder, was arrested after the fracas but only admitted the charges last month.

Barton's brother Andrew, 20, of Widnes, and his cousin Nadine Wilson, 27, of Childwall, also pleaded guilty to their parts in the assault.

It was reported that the footballer had drunk 10 pints and five bottles of lager during the night of the incident, before going to a McDonald's on Church Street.

The group then became involved in a heated argument with some youths inside the fast food restaurant.

The attack happened as both groups headed up Church Street towards Bold Street.

Judge Henry Globe QC told Barton before handing down his sentence: "Without doubt, the most serious of the three offenders is you. You were restrained by others but ignored them and acted in an extremely violent and aggressive manner."

Barton has also been ordered to pay £2,500 to a 16-year-old youth, whose teeth were broken in the attack.

Barton had been awaiting trial for two other offences at the time of the latest attack, alleged criminal damage of a taxi and the alleged assault of then Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, 31.

He is on bail for the alleged assault and is awaiting trial for alleged criminal damage to a taxi.

Barton joined Manchester City in 2002 and made 150 appearances for the club. In July, 2007, he joined Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million.

Although his career has been dogged by controversial incidents and disciplinary problems, Barton is a patron of the Tamsin Gulvin Fund, a charity set up to support people who have addiction problems and no financial support.

His half brother, Michael Barton, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for his involvement in the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker in 2005.

(DS/JM)