Joey Barton told to pay over £300,000 to Eni Aluko after libel case

Former England international and pundit Aluko had brought legal action against Barton over two social media posts on X in 2024.

Former England international and pundit Aluko had brought legal action against Barton over two social media posts on X in 2024.

On Tuesday, the High Court heard the case had been stayed. This meant proceedings had been halted and Barton was ordered to pay “substantial” damages and Aluko’s legal costs.

According to a court order, Barton has been told to pay £339,000, with the first £100,000 plus interest due by March 24, the Sun reports.

The news comes on the same day Barton was charged with section 18 wounding with intent after a man was assaulted near a golf club on Merseyside.

In November last year, Barton was found guilty of six counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

The counts were over posts on X between January and March 2024 directed at Aluko, fellow football pundit Lucy Ward and broadcaster Jeremy Vine.

One of the posts came after a televised FA Cup tie between Crystal Palace and Everton, when Barton said Ward and Aluko were the “Fred and Rosemary West of football commentary.”

He later posted an image of the serial killers with the faces of the two pundits superimposed on to them.

During his career, Barton played for the likes of Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle. But in recent years, following an unsuccessful managerial career, Barton has used and monetised his large platform to denigrate women’s football, and amplify a number of right-wing, ‘culture war’ causes.

In August last year, Barton announced he was “retiring” from social media after being forced to pay Vine hundreds of thousands in libel damages for the social media posts.