Bristol Rovers supervisor Joey Barton’s trial for allegedly assaulting his spouse throughout a drunken row has been delayed after she wrote a letter to prosecutors in a bid to “exculpate” her husband, a court docket has heard.
The previous Premier League footballer’s barrister Simon Csoka QC stated Georgia Barton now claims she was injured by accident when pals intervened within the argument along with her husband after ingesting “4 or 5 bottles of wine every”.
Barton, 39, was as a result of stand trial at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court docket, in south-west London, on Friday for a single depend of assault by beating.
He's alleged to have grabbed his spouse by the throat and kicked her within the head throughout a row exterior their dwelling in Kew, south-west London, the place they'd been with two different couples on June 2 final 12 months.
Mrs Barton, who is alleged to have been left with a golf-ball sized bruise on her brow and a bleeding nostril, referred to as police however was not as a result of be referred to as as a prosecution witness.
Nevertheless, the court docket heard she had despatched a letter to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on February 17, adopted up with two emails, which had solely been seen by prosecutor Helena Duong on Friday morning.
“Mr Barton is married to the alleged sufferer on this case they usually proceed to be in a relationship,” stated Ms Duong.
“The Crown doesn't suggest to name her.
“She has given an account some eight months after the incident and, within the Crown’s submission, it's plainly an try to exculpate her husband.” Mr Csoka stated there have been two different couples current on the home and every of these current had been ingesting “about 4 or 5 bottles of wine every”.
“What she is suggesting is the harm was triggered by accident when pals intervened within the argument,” he stated.
District Decide Andrew Candy adjourned the case to June 23.
Ms Duong earlier stated Barton’s spouse referred to as police simply earlier than 11.15pm and stated “she had simply been hit in her home by her husband and she or he asks cops to attend urgently”.
When officers arrived “she says she had obtained right into a drunken combat, a disagreement about households, along with her husband, and she or he had been pushed down and kicked,” the barrister continued.
“Mr Barton continues to be asleep upstairs when police arrive and he's arrested. The Crown’s case is he was nonetheless intoxicated at that time.”
The court docket heard Barton gave a no remark interview and the prosecutor added: “The difficulty on this case is that Mr Barton denies assaulting his spouse in any respect.”
Barton, a former midfielder, performed for groups together with Manchester Metropolis, Newcastle, Queen’s Park Rangers and Marseille throughout his taking part in profession in addition to making one look for England in 2007.
He began his administration profession with Fleetwood City from 2018 to 2021 earlier than becoming a member of League Two aspect Bristol Rovers final 12 months.
Barton appeared within the dock sporting a black sweater, denims, black sneakers and glasses, and spoke to substantiate his title, tackle in Widnes, Cheshire and date of delivery.
He was launched on unconditional bail.
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