Joey Barton arrested for assault at golf club

Joey Barton is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of wounding following a brawl near a golf club.

The former midfielder, who played for England and now anchors a podcast, was arrested with a 50-year-old man following a fight at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, in Merseyside.

A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that two people have been arrested following reports of an assault in Huyton on Sunday 8 March. At around 9pm, emergency services were called to Fairway to reports of a man having been assaulted near to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.

“The victim was taken to hospital for assessment of injuries to his face and ribs. A 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old man have both been arrested on suspicion of s18 wounding. They are both currently in custody where they will be questioned by detectives. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident.”

The Liverpool Echo had first reported on the incident on Monday night, without naming Barton. According to the Echo, local residents reported seeing a large police presence in the area, with part of the Fairway closed off.

Police have been conducting door-to-door enquiries to gather witness accounts and doorbell footage. One police car remained in the area at 6am this morning.

Last December, Barton was given a suspended sentence for social media posts about broadcaster Jeremy Vine and TV football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko. The 43-year-old had been found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

Barton, originally of Huyton, Merseyside, was given six months in custody, suspended for 18 months. The former Manchester City and Newcastle player was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and pay more than £20,000 in costs.

At a High Court hearing on Tuesday about a libel claim involving Barton, Gervase de Wilde, representing Eni Aluko, the former England women’s footballer, said his instructing solicitor had “received a call from a duty solicitor in a police station in Liverpool” shortly before the hearing. Mr de Wilde told the court that Barton “was arrested yesterday and is currently being held in custody”.

Barton has 2.7m followers on X and previously managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers.

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