Former footballer Joey Barton has appeared in court to deny calling Jeremy Vine a “bike nonce” on social media and comparing female TV personalities to Fred and Rose West.
Barton, 42, wearing a dark suit and tie and glasses, stood in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court, repeating “not guilty” to all of the 12 charges put to him of sending grossly offensive communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety under the Malicious Communications Act.
He is accused of sending a series of offensive posts on social media after repeatedly referring to Mr Vine as a “nonce” and football TV commentators and pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killers Fred and Rose West and communist dictators and mass murderers Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot.
The charges arise out of a series of posts made in January, February and March last year on social media site X, formerly Twitter.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder is accused of sending posts including one referring to Ms Aluko and Ms Ward as notorious murderers Fred and Rose West, including a photo of the serial killers but adding the faces of the TV personalities.
In other posts he also again referred to both TV personalities as “serial killers” and “tokenistic” – and referring to Ms Aluko, who is black, as “f****** pathetic” and “only there to tick boxes.”
He also referred to both women as in the “Joseph Stalin/Pol Pot category.”
The first five charges relate to the women concerned, while the remaining seven counts relate to Mr Vine.
Barton is accused of the same offence due to posts to or about, Mr Vine, including posts saying: “I knew I’d get you bike nonce”, “@thejeremyvine aka bike nonce”, “You big bike nonce” and “#downwithbikenonce.”
Following a 40-minute hearing, a further preparatory hearing was set for June 27, with a trial date set for November 3.
Judge Andrew Menary KC, Recorder of Liverpool, granted bail to Barton, on condition he does not directly or indirectly contact any of the prosecution witnesses, Mr Vine, Ms Aluko and Ms Ward and also on condition he makes no reference to them online.
Judge Menary added: “You can have bail. It’s important you keep those conditions.”
