Bristol Rovers supervisor Joey Barton arrives at court docket to face trial for allegedly grabbing spouse

Joey Barton smiled as he left court docket together with his spouse at present after his trial for ‘assaulting’ her was delayed when she wrote a letter claiming she was harm accidentally throughout a ‘drunken row’ that noticed them drink ‘4 of 5 bottles of wine every’. 

The Bristol Rovers supervisor, 39, is accused of assaulting Georgia Barton, 36, by beating at a property in Kew, south-west London on June 2 final yr, two days earlier than their wedding ceremony anniversary.

However Mrs Barton claims she was injured by chance when pals intervened within the argument outdoors their residence, her husband’s barrister, Simon Csoka QC, informed Wimbledon Magistrates Courtroom at present.

Earlier, the court docket heard claims Barton attacked his spouse and left a lump the scale of a ‘golf ball’ on her head after consuming 4 bottles of wine. The case will now be heard in June. Barton denies the allegations.

Prosecutor Helena Duong stated at present: ‘On the night of June 2 Mrs Barton known as 999 at 20:14 and stated that she had simply been hit in her home by her husband and he or she requested for law enforcement officials to attend urgently.

‘At 23:38 the law enforcement officials attend, and so they converse to her current outdoors the home ready for law enforcement officials to reach. She is there with one other pal.

‘She provides her first full account of what it’s she says occurred and in that account she says that she had gotten right into a drunken combat, a disagreement about households, together with her husband and that she had been pushed down and kicked about and stuff.

‘Then she reveals the officers an harm to her head…which is described by an officer as a lump the scale of a golf ball.

‘She confirms that that’s the place she was hit in her head by her husband.

‘When she touches it there may be blood on her palms which appears to have come from a bloody nostril.’

The court docket heard that her husband was asleep upstairs when police arrived and arrested him.

‘The Crown’s case is that he was nonetheless intoxicated at that time,’ Ms Duong added.

‘Afterward, he gave a no remark interview.

‘The difficulty on this case…is that Mr Barton denies assaulting his spouse in any respect.’

Counsel entered into arguments a few letter Mrs Barton despatched to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dated February 17 this yr.

Ms Duong stated: ‘In the present day I’ve been supplied with a replica of the letter that Mrs Barton [sent] wherein she units out what she now says was her account of what occurred.

‘Within the Crown’s submission it’s in stark distinction to the target proof that was accessible and contradictory to her first account.

‘She has given an account some eight months later after the incident and within the Crown’s submission it’s plainly an try and exculpate her husband.’

The court docket heard the couple are nonetheless in a relationship.

Simon Csoka, defending, stated the prosecution ought to take a witness assertion from Mrs Barton at present.

Talking about Mrs Barton’s letter, Mr Csoka stated it recounted how the couple had been having dinner with pals.

‘All of them had about 4 or 5 bottles of wine every,’ Mr Csoka stated.

‘What she is suggesting is that the harm was brought on by chance when pals intervened within the argument.’

Ms Duong stated the prosecution wouldn’t take a witness assertion, explaining they by no means meant to name Mrs Barton as a witness.

‘The prosecution case is introduced, as my discovered pal says, on the 999 name and the physique worn footage,’ she added.

A recording of the 999 name and the physique worn footage had been dominated admissible by a earlier choose.

District Decide Andrew Candy adjourned the listening to for a brief break to permit counsel to debate tips on how to proceed.

Beforehand, Barton denied he was violent in the direction of his spouse and prompt she had been ‘consuming closely’ and ‘exaggerated’ the incident, two days earlier than their anniversary.

The previous Premier League footballer, having additionally performed for QPR and Burnley, made one look for England in a pleasant in opposition to Spain in 2007.

He retired from taking part in in 2018 and has additionally managed Fleetwood City in League One.

Barton sat within the dock at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Courtroom sporting a black-knit jumper and black-rimmed glasses.

He denies assault by beating.

District Decide Andrew Candy adjourned the case to June 23.