Joey Barton says he’s been visited by police ‘four times in three days’ over his tweets and hits out at ‘an attempt to intimidate me and my family’… as he compares the UK to North Korea
Joey Barton has claimed he was visited by police three times in the last four days and lashed out at ‘attempts to intimidate me and my family’ – before comparing Britain to North Korea.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle footballer revealed that some of his tweets this week have resulted in multiple police visits to his home, with officers asking him for a voluntary interview.
He said that on one occasion, officers knocked on his door while his children were sleeping and rebuffed any attempt to “intimidate” his family, saying the methods were akin to something in North Korea.
Barton married his high school sweetheart Georgia McNeil in 2019. The couple has four children together: Cassius, born in 2011, Pieta, born in 2014, Penn, born in 2018 and Etienne, born in 2022.
“I’ve been visited by Cheshire Police four times in three days,” he said on X, later adding: “It’s either a shambles or an attempt to intimidate me and my family. Welcome to North Korea.”
Joey Barton has claimed he was visited by police four times in three days over his controversial tweets
Barton told his 2.8 million followers on X: ‘I have been visited by Cheshire Police four times in three days. I’m asking for a voluntary interview about something I tweeted,’
‘Including a couple of female police officers who knocked on the door at 9.30pm last night when my children were in bed. I gave them the information and my attorney’s number. He then called to arrange an interview. No answer, so he left a voicemail message for the sergeant who had visited on the first occasion.
‘The last two women apparently did not know that there had been three visits in three days! Either it’s a mess, or an attempt to intimidate me and my family. Welcome to North Korea.”
Barton has kept his relationship with McNeil private, but the couple tied the knot in a ceremony at the Aynhoe Park estate in Oxfordshire in 2019.
In 2021, Barton was accused of ‘kicking his wife in the head’ and causing a ‘clunk the size of a golf ball’ during an argument at their home in Kew, south-west London.
However, in 2022, McNeil withdrew her accusation and had chosen not to press charges after admitting that she was “drinking heavily” and that she got the details wrong.
Barton has repeatedly launched tirades against female football broadcasters and players in recent weeks
Partick Thistle goalkeeper Ava Easdon was the center of Joey Barton’s ire last month after the 17-year-old featured for her side in the Sky Sports Cup final
Barton has come under fire this year for his tweets about women working in men’s football, infamously claiming that female pundits are ‘not allowed to speak to any authority’ in the sport.
His rants against women online also saw him liken pundit Eni Aluko and presenter Lucy Ward to infamous serial killers Fred and Rose West, while claiming he would score 100 out of 100 penalties against England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
Last month he angered fans after insulting a 17-year-old Patrick Thistle goalkeeper Ava Easdon monitoring the youngster’s performance between the sticks in the Sky Sports Cup final and asked ‘how does this rubbish appear on the box’.
One of Barton’s most controversial comments is his claim that it was “dangerous” for women to work at men’s clubs because they “had full-on businesses and cost people marriages.”
This isn’t the first time Barton has revealed issues over his tweets – having posted a legal letter from Aluko’s lawyers after going on a tirade about the expert.
Barton also took aim at Eni Aluko (left) and Lucy Ward (right) comparing the experts to serial killers Fred and Rose West
Barton took to social media to reveal messages sent by a lawyer claiming to represent Aluko
Barton wrote: “Another day. Another letter from Samuel’s lawyers.
“Eni Aluko is now joining Jeremy Vine in suing me because I say she is not very good at her job. Interesting that they both use the same lawyers.
What kind of law firm sends you Instagram messages? Jokers.’
It came after Barton doubled down on Aluko’s comparison to Fred and Rose West by comparing her to former Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin.
He went to
‘I had some time to think about the impact of my words after @itvfootball’s big statement.
‘She clearly falls into the Joseph Stalin/Pol Pot category. She has killed hundreds of thousands of football fans’ ears in recent years. Meritocracy rules!’
Barton played 435 during a bitter career that saw him in the headlines for a series of controversial incidents.
In 2004, Barton stuck a cigar in the eye of fellow Man City team member Jason Tandy during a boozy Christmas party.
Barton said his outburst came after boyhood star Tandy provoked him and set his T-shirt on fire in the build-up to the scuffle, which led to the footballing villain being fined six weeks’ wages and an apology to despondent boss Kevin. Keegan.
Four years later, Barton was back in the spotlight after a training ground brawl with ex-teammate Ousmane Dabo, which saw wannabe hardman Barton slapped with a six-match ban by the FA in 2008.