Former professional footballer turned podcast host Joey Barton has been taken into custody in connection with a reported serious assault. Barton, aged 43, was apprehended along with another individual under suspicion of causing severe harm under section 18, following an incident near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.
The incident occurred in Huyton on Sunday evening at 9pm, prompting the arrival of emergency services. Merseyside Police discovered a man at the scene with facial and rib injuries, subsequently transporting him to a medical facility for further care.
Two men, aged 50 and 43, were detained by officers on allegations of section 18 wounding. Sources have indicated that the younger of the detained individuals is Barton, who hails from Huyton.
During his professional football career, Barton participated in 269 Premier League matches, notably representing Manchester City in 130 games. Following his retirement from playing, he took on a managerial role at League One club Bristol Rovers.
Presently, Barton hosts the podcast “Common Sense with Joey Barton,” where he engages in discussions covering football, cancel culture, grooming gangs, and politics.
The police in Merseyside established a cordon on Fairway in the town of Knowsley on the night of the incident. The cordon was initially removed but then reinstated, as per reports from the ECHO.
In a statement, Merseyside Police confirmed the arrests related to the assault in Huyton on March 8. The statement mentioned that emergency services responded to the incident near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, resulting in the victim being hospitalized for assessment of his facial and rib injuries. Both the 50-year-old and 43-year-old individuals remain in custody for questioning by detectives, while investigations into the matter continue.
