Joey Barton charged with assault over incident near Liverpool | OneFootball

Joey Barton has been charged with assault after an incident near a golf club in north-west England. According to Le Progres, the 43-year-old and a second man, Gary O’Grady, 50, face the same allegation.

Emergency services were called around nine pm on Sunday after a man suffered serious injuries to his face and body near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, close to Liverpool. He remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The charges were confirmed on Tuesday. Barton and O’Grady are due to appear at Wirral Magistrates’ Court in the afternoon.

Separately on Tuesday, a High Court hearing took place in a defamation case brought by former England forward Eni Aluko against Barton. Her barrister, Gervase de Wilde, told the court that Barton’s lawyer had received a call from a duty solicitor at a Liverpool police station shortly before the hearing, and said Barton had been arrested on Monday and was in custody, explaining his absence.

Barton, a former Manchester City and QPR midfielder, won one England cap and also played for Newcastle, Rangers, Burnley and Marseille. He moved into management after retiring in 2017 and now hosts a podcast. Known for his fiery temperament, he has been involved in several on and off-field altercations, and in 2025 was given a 12-week suspended sentence for assaulting his partner during a 2021 dispute.

Source: Le Progres