18 month ban for Barton

[Patrick Thistle]

When you read down the list of "incidents" in the BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47922726 it's impossible to justify why this man is still in football. The guy is a charming psychopath.

Prison time for assault
Sued for £65,000 for stubbing a cigar out in someone's eye
Assaulting a team mate
Banned for betting on football

How is this guy still finding work?

[blameless]

When you read down the list of "incidents" in the BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47922726 it's impossible to justify why this man is still in football. The guy is a charming psychopath.

Prison time for assault
Sued for £65,000 for stubbing a cigar out in someone's eye
Assaulting a team mate
Banned for betting on football

How is this guy still finding work?

Exactly what I was thinking. We need a seance to summon the ghost of Ernie Walker* to preside at Barton's next hearing, that'll sort things.

*For those of you not familiar with Mr.Walker's work, he was head of the SFA from 1977-90 and he loved doling out lifetime bans. So much so that sine die (Latin for "without limit of time") is still shorthand in Scottish football-speak for a lifelong suspension.

[Satchmo Distel]

My instant word association from "Ernie Walker" is "Willie Johnston", scapegoat for the 1978 shambles.

But yeah, the biggest shock from this story is that a third tier league club is employing this thug. Fleetwood have also chosen this moment to appeal the red card issued against their player.

[Ray de Galles]

A man has been...arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and racially aggravated assault.

Barnsley's manager is German, yes? One can only imagine what Barton has come out with.

[Patrick Thistle]

Is there a bigger potential punishment for a racially aggravated assault rather than a plain old assault?

I guess it's harder to prove because you have to prove motive as well as action.

[Ray de Galles]

I would imagine there would have to be a harsher potential punishment. I'd also imagine that there is the accusation of racial slurs being used in this case which would be seen as proof.

[Patrick Thistle]

Yeah, I don't know how this works. I guess "racially aggravated assault" is different to "racially motivated assault". It's not like Barton attacked him because he was German but if he's been charged with this he must have allegedly said something referencing his victim's race as he assaulted him.

[ursus arctos]

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 established the offence and provides that the sentence upon conviction following indictment can be up to two years, which have appears to be somewhat greater than that for garden variety common assault variety common assault.

The offence only needs to have been aggravated by a racial or religious element, that does not need to be its primary cause. My uninformed guess is that something was said during the altercation that established a basis for the charge.

[johnr]

Not trying to be obtuse, but would 'being German', and any associated insult, be construed as 'race'? (There's a glib answer there about what the Nazi's called themselves, but I'll gloss over that...)

Barton was once on Question Time. That still astounds me.

[ursus arctos]

For purposes of the statute, ethnic origin, nationality and citizenship have all been considered as coming within the broad concept of "race".

See, e.g., this CPS statement on hate crime.

[

Stirring up racial hatred, defined by reference to colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins is committed when someone says or does something which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and the person either intends to stir up racial hatred, or make it likely that racial hatred will be stirred up. It covers behaviour such as making a speech, posting material online, displaying a poster, performing a play or broadcasting on the media.

[blameless]

I believe xenophobia is classed as being in the same vein as racism, so even if both victim and perpetrator are white northern Europeans, the alleged assaulter can still be charged with the "aggravated" version.

edit: or what ua says above, basically.

[johnr]

Ah, that's good, thanks both.

[cantagalo]

About as well timed as one of Barton's tackles.

https://twitter.com/ftfc/status/1118...470348800?s=21

[Antepli Ejderha]

What's surprised me is that Fleetwood haven't suspended him pending such and such. Surely gardening leave is a minimum here.

[Amor de Cosmos]

He hasn't been named by the police yet has he?

[Antepli Ejderha]

He hasn't been named by the police yet has he?

Not even leaked from a source.

[Satchmo Distel]

Fleetwood are doing a Tammy Wynette and have posted his full denial:

https://www.fleetwoodtownfc.com/news...m-joey-barton/

It seems contradictory that South Yorkshire are appealing for people to come forward but haven't released the name of the person whom they are supposed to come forward about.

[Ray de Galles]

Not really, they're asking for witnesses to or evidence regarding an incident, not specifically regarding one person.

[Sean of the Shed]

Charged with ABH.

[Janik]

What's surprised me is that Fleetwood haven't suspended him pending such and such. Surely gardening leave is a minimum here.

This was a reasonable expectation at the time. And even more so now...

[Jah Womble]

Barton was once on Question Time. That still astounds me.

I'm not sure it does me.

[Patrick Thistle]

Trial's not until October. Innocent until proven guilty, yeah?

(Not really. If I was the chairman he would have been gone in the summer. On the other hand I doubt I'd want to be the guy who sacked a psycho.)