Former England player to stand trial over ‘Malicious’ tweets targeting Ex-Super Eagles star’s sister

Former Newcastle and QPR player Joey Barton faces charges of alleged ‘malicious communications’ following offensive tweets directed at pundits Eniola Aluko and Lucy Ward.

Eniola is the sister to Former Super Eagles striker Sone Aluko who has recently been appointed a coach at Ipswich Town.

The charges, stemming from an investigation by Cheshire Police, come after Barton compared Aluko and Ward to notorious serial killers Fred and Rose West, causing widespread outrage.

In January, Barton posted a tweet questioning Aluko’s credibility in men’s football and made the disturbing comparison, writing: “How is she even talking about men’s football? She can’t even kick a ball properly. Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low. Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”

The tweet drew severe criticism for its insensitivity and misogyny. Barton escalated his comments further by likening Aluko to Joseph Stalin, accusing her of “murdering hundreds of thousands of fans’ ears.”

Eniola Aluko, a former England international and the sister of ex-Nigerian footballer Sone Aluko, described the abuse as one of the worst cases of social media harassment she had encountered.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast in February, Aluko expressed the impact of Barton’s attacks due to his significant social media following. “I can only describe it as waves caving in on you,” she said, emphasizing the prolonged nature of Barton’s offensive tweets over a week.

Aluko criticized social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), for promoting harmful content and failing to protect users from abuse. “We have a platform on X that actively promotes people like Joey Barton’s content through the algorithms and through the way that X is now constructed,” she stated. “I’ve been driven off the platform, and my freedom of speech is not protected.”

Barton, who maintains his innocence, is set to appear in court on July 30. Despite the charges, he claims that the accusations against him are indicative of a failed legal system. On social media, he expressed his frustration, saying he was “absolutely distraught” at the prospect of facing court again.