Joey Barton ordered to pay £339,000 to Eni Aluko in libel case
Joey Barton has been ordered to pay former England footballer Eni Aluko £339,000 in damages and legal costs after losing a libel case at the High Court, reports BritPanorama.
The former midfielder faced legal action from the pundit over two posts he published on X during 2024. At Tuesday’s hearing, the court was told the case had been stayed, with Barton required to pay “substantial” damages, along with Aluko’s legal fees.
According to a court order, the initial payment of £100,000 plus interest must be made by March 24. Mr Justice Lavender gave Barton a week to request any amendments to the order. Between January and August 2024, Barton published 48 posts about Aluko on his X account.
Her barrister, Gervase de Wilde, described it as “a deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification.” Among the posts was a deeply disturbing image showing Aluko’s head superimposed onto the body of serial killer Rosemary West. Mr de Wilde noted that Barton had falsely claimed Aluko “cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying” and labelled her a hypocrite.
The barrister added that the campaign “amounted to an attack on multiple aspects of her life and personality.” The court heard that Barton’s sustained attack caused Aluko significant emotional harm. When she attempted to defend herself against his behaviour and that of his followers, he responded by criticising and further attacking her.
Mr de Wilde explained that Aluko feared any attempt to halt the harassment would be “exploited and manipulated” by Barton to use against her. The barrister confirmed that Barton has now acknowledged his campaign against Aluko constituted harassment and accepted that he should never have made the publications in question.
Barton was not present at the London hearing. Aluko attended the High Court in person on Tuesday. Speaking after the hearing concluded, she said: “I’m glad it’s the end.” Barton, who has previously managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, made a single appearance for England during his playing career in 2007.
The unfolding developments in this case serve as a reminder of the delicate interplay between public commentary and personal reputation in the age of social media, where the lines of accountability can often be blurred.
