Joey Barton arrives at Wimbledon magistrates court for his assault trial
(Picture: PA)Joey Barton’s wife has come forward to defend the former Premier League footballer over a domestic assault allegation, claiming she was injured “accidentally” during a drunken row, a court has heard.
Barton, 39, is accused of grabbing Georgia Barton by the throat and kicking her in the head during an argument at a friend’s house in Kew, southwest London.
Mrs Barton called 999 on the night of the alleged incident, on June 2 last year, and told police she had been “pushed down and kicked” by her husband.
She wrote to the Crown Prosecution Service last month, insisting her injuries – a bump on the forehead and a bloodied nose – had not been caused deliberately, Wimbledon magistrates court heard.
Simon Csoka QC, representing Barton, said the couple were with four friends on the night, and they had “all had four or five bottles of wine each”.
He said Barton and his wife got into a row and she says her injuries were “caused accidentally when friends intervened in the argument”.
Barton, who is now managing League Two side Bristol Rovers, was due to stand trial on Friday, but District Judge Andrew Sweet adjourned the case after hearing legal argument over Mrs Barton’s letter.
She is not a prosecution witness, but wrote to the CPS in February with her new account of the night, which prosecutor Helena Duong said is “in stark contrast” to what she told police.
“There has been more recent contact by the alleged victim in this case with the Crown”, said the prosecutor.
“On the evening of June 2, Mrs Barton called 999 at 11.14pm and says that she has been hit by her husband. She asked for a police officer to attend urgently.
“At 11.38pm, the police officer attended and spoke to her.”
Bodyworn footage and the 999 call are due to be used as evidence against Barton, who faces a single charge of assault by beating.
“She says she had gotten into a drunken disagreement about families with her husband”, said Ms Duong, explaining the allegation.
“She had been pushed down and kicked about and stuff, he got my head and pushed me down, and she says he kicked me in the head.
“She shows an injury to her head, described by the officer as a lump the size of a golf ball. She confirms that is where she was kicked in her head by her husband.
“When she touches it, there is some blood on her hands. She had both a bloody nose and an injury to her forehead.”
The court heard Barton was asleep upstairs when police arrived, and made no comment when he was later questioned.
Ms Duong told the court prosecutors do not intend to take a fresh statement from Mrs Barton, suggesting her letter and new account of the incident is “plainly an attempt to exculpate her husband”.
“Cases like this are always difficult, especially when there is still a relationship that is ongoing”, she added.
An earlier court hearing was told Barton denies being violent towards his wife, suggesting she had been “drinking heavily” and had “greatly exaggerated” the incident.
Mr Csoka is due to make an abuse of process argument at the next hearing, after insisting that the prosecution should have taken a statement from Mrs Barton.
Barton, who lives in Widnes, denies assault by beating.
The case is due to return to court on June 23.
