Joey Barton is set to face a new legal battle in May 2026, as a civil defamation case brought by Eni Aluko against the former footballer has been scheduled for the High Court. This follows Barton's recent conviction on six counts of sending grossly offensive social media messages with the intent to cause distress or anxiety.
Aluko alleges that she was defamed in two social media posts made by Barton on X (formerly Twitter) in January 2024, and that dozens of other posts by Barton amounted to harassment. The posts in question were made during a period when Barton waged a lengthy online campaign against female commentators and pundits.
Justice Lavender ruled in April that two of Barton's messages about Aluko on X were indeed defamatory. The most contentious elements of Barton's posts were his claims that Aluko played the "victim card" and "race card". Aluko has stated that Barton's messages caused her distress and damaged her media career.
Barton was found guilty last week in relation to posts directed at Aluko, her fellow football broadcaster Lucy Ward, and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. He denied harassment and seeking to cause distress or anxiety.
This isn't the first time Barton has faced legal action over his social media activity. He lost a defamation case last year brought by Jeremy Vine, which has cost him more than £500,000. In June 2024, Barton agreed to pay Vine £75,000 in damages for defamation and harassment, in addition to legal costs, to settle the civil action. He also apologized to Vine via a post on his X account, retracting a "very serious allegation" he had made.
Given the recent guilty verdict and the history of similar cases, Barton may seek to settle with Aluko out of court to avoid another potentially large payout.
The case highlights the potential consequences of social media activity, particularly regarding defamation and harassment. It also raises questions about the responsibilities of public figures in their online conduct. The trial is scheduled for May 2026 and is expected to draw considerable media attention.
