Joey Barton appears in court over offensive social media messages

Former footballer Joey Barton appeared at Liverpool Crown Court facing accusations of sending indecent or grossly offensive messages via social media to TV figures Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine between January and March of the previous year. During the brief 20-minute hearing, which primarily addressed administrative matters, Barton spoke only to provide his name and date of birth. Judge Andrew Menary KC extended Barton's unconditional bail and scheduled a pre-trial preparation hearing for March 14, while he is also set to face trial in May on separate charges related to malicious communications sent to football analyst Eni Aluko. Barton has denied the allegations and described the legal proceedings as 'political persecution'. His previous offensive posts have drawn significant scrutiny, including comparisons of Ward and Aluko to notorious criminals. The case continues to unfold as the court process moves forward.