Former Premier League midfielder arrested as police issue statement
Former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton has been arrested after a man was allegedly assaulted near a golf club in Merseyside on Sunday evening.
Emergency services were called to Fairway in Huyton at around 9 p.m. following reports that a man had been attacked close to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club. The injured man was taken to hospital with facial and rib injuries, according to Merseyside Police.
Officers arrested two men in connection with the incident, including Barton, who is 43.
In a statement reported by Mail Sport, Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that two people have been arrested following reports of an assault in Huyton on Sunday 8 March.
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“At around 9pm, emergency services were called to Fairway to reports of a man having been assaulted near to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.”
Police said the victim was taken to hospital for treatment while officers detained two suspects.
“The victim was taken to hospital for assessment of injuries to his face and ribs. A 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old man have both been arrested on suspicion of s18 wounding,” the statement added.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
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“They are both currently in custody where they will be questioned by detectives. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident,” police said.
The arrest is the latest controversy involving Barton, who played for clubs including Manchester City, Newcastle United and Marseille during his career and made one appearance for England.
Barton has previously faced legal issues during and after his playing career. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to assaulting former Manchester City teammate Ousmane Dabo.
More recently, Barton received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months after a series of social media posts targeting television presenter Jeremy Vine and football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko, the BBC reported.
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A hearing at Liverpool Crown Court concluded that Barton had “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” after comparing Ward and Aluko to serial killers Fred and Rose West and directing a racist insult toward Vine.
Speaking outside court in December 2025, Barton said: “If I could turn back the clock I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail.”
Sources: Mail Sport, BBC
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