Joey Barton Defends ‘Dark Humour’ in Court

Former footballer Joey Barton appeared in Liverpool crown court to defend his controversial social media posts targeting female football pundits and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. Barton claimed that his references to Vine as a ‘bike nonce’ and comparisons of female pundits to serial killers were all in jest, albeit in ‘dark humour’.

Barton, 43, explained that his intention was not to offend but rather to engage in banter and push the boundaries of acceptable humor. He described his posts as ‘terrible jokes’ that were meant to be taken lightly.

During the trial, Barton also addressed the accusations of ‘puerile, infantile behavior’ and defended his actions as simply a case of ‘hurty words’ that spiraled out of control. He argued that the criticism he received for his social media posts was unwarranted and that he was being unfairly targeted for his views.

Despite the backlash, Barton maintained that his posts were not meant to cause harm and that they should be viewed in the context of online banter and satire. He emphasized that his comments about Vine and the female pundits were part of a larger conversation and should not be taken out of context.

As the trial continues, the public awaits the verdict on whether Barton’s social media posts constitute free speech or cross the line into unacceptable behavior.