Joey Barton Settles Defamation Claim with Jeremy Vine Amid Ongoing Legal Dispute

Former footballer Joey Barton has apologized to BBC presenter Jeremy Vine and agreed to pay £75,000 in damages and legal costs following a High Court ruling that found Barton’s social media posts defamatory. Barton had accused Vine of having a sexual interest in children and used slurs like 'bike nonce' and 'pedo defender' in a series of tweets. Despite an initial settlement offer, Barton continued his attacks, leading to Vine’s legal action. The court ruled 10 of Barton’s tweets as defamatory. Vine has stated that this settlement does not mark the end of the case, indicating further actions and statements are expected in court.