Former football player Joey Barton is set to face trial next year after pleading not guilty today to sending malicious communications to a female football pundit.
The 41-year-old is accused of sending malicious messages to Eni Aluko, allegedly comparing her and fellow football broadcaster Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West in a tweet.
Barton denies posting indecent or grossly offensive messages on X, formerly Twitter, containing comments about the former England women’s football player with the intent of causing distress or anxiety, between January 3 and 8.
The ex-Manchester City and England midfielder appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court wearing a dark checked jacket with a shirt and tie.
He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
Simon Csoka, KC, defending, said the issues in the case, would be whether the messages were grossly indecent and whether they were sent for the purpose of causing distress.
He also said there would be an issue of whether they were sent to the complainant because they were on the public platform of X.
Mr Csoka said: ‘They were not private messages.’
Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC said a three-day trial would be held on May 19 next year.
He granted Barton bail, with a condition not to make any mention of Aluko on any social media.
The hearing, which lasted about ten minutes, dealt with administrative matters ahead of the trial.
Barton tweeted after Aluko and Ward appeared as pundits for ITV for an FA Cup match between Crystal Palace and Everton on January 4.
He allegedly compared them to serial killers Fred and Rose West.
In a follow-up tweet he compared Aluko to Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot, an earlier court hearing was told.
Aluko, who played for Chelsea and England, scored 33 international goals in 102 games before retiring in 2020 and establishing a broadcasting career.
Barton, of Widnes, Cheshire, was sacked last October as manager of League One club Bristol Rovers after almost three years in charge, following a run of poor results.
Aluko played professionally in England, America and Italy before becoming a television pundit.