The former footballer Joey Barton “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” with social media posts aimed at female pundits, a jury has been told.
Barton, 43, is accused of 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety, related to posts he made on X between January and March in 2024 that targeted Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko as well as the broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
