Joey Barton has posted a slogan closely affiliated with the Irish Republican Army (IRA) just a matter of hours after he was found guilty of assaulting his wife. The former Rangers star has been given a 12-week suspended prison sentence following an incident in 2021.
Barton was found to have attacked his wife Georgia Barton on June 2 that year, pushing and kicking her in the head at their home, a court heard. Mrs Barton called 999 and told officers that she had been hit by her husband, though she later attempted to withdraw her case once Barton had been charged with domestic violence.
Barton denied the charges and argued in court that if he were to have kicked someone in the head then 'there would be a lot more damage than what's alleged in this case'.
The former Manchester City midfielder wrote on X: "Really disappointed in the magistrate's decision today. Especially, after a judge two and a half years ago in Wimbledon Magistrates ruled in my favour. I intend to appeal this decision to a higher court, the crown court and whilst this process is ongoing that's all I will say on the matter."
He then followed that tweet up with another which read "Tiocfaidh ar la", which translates to 'Oour day will come'.
The use of the slogan has drawn widespread criticism given that it is closely associated with the IRA.
The phrase is viewed as a slogan of Irish republicanism and was coined during The Troubles. It was often shouted by IRA defendants when they were being convicted in English and Irish courts, and supporters of the IRA could also often be heard shouting the phrase in public galleries.
Whilst convicting Barton, Judge Paul Goldspring spoke of how he felt the account that Mrs Barton provided on the night of the incident was truthful and that he 'rejected' her account from the witness box, when she claimed to have been injured by a friend in a separate row.
He added that he felt the account provided by the attending officer was true. Earlier in proceedings, PC Daniel Humphrey had told the court that he saw 'a golf ball-sized lump' on the head of Mrs Barton which 'looked swollen' on the night that 999 were called.
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