Joey Barton accused of leaving teacher blind in one eye
Former soccer player Joey Barton was in custody last night for allegedly battering a man who may be left partially blind.
The ex-Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder is accused of attacking married father-of-two Kevin Lynch, 51, at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club in Liverpool, England, on Sunday evening.
The court heard Mr Lynch – the founder and headteacher of NexGen Academy, a school for children with additional needs – may have suffered a ‘permanent, irreversible injury’ and there are fears he will lose the sight in one eye.
Joey Barton. Pic: Joe Toth/REX/Shutterstock
Barton, 43, of Widnes, spoke to confirm his name and address when he appeared before a judge at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court yesterday. He was denied bail.
Barton is charged alongside 50-year-old friend and roofer Gary O’Grady, of Huyton. Both men are accused of assaulting Mr Lynch, who has also managed several non-league soccer clubs, occasioning grievous bodily harm.
The court heard that the three men had been drinking at the clubhouse when a ‘heated argument’ developed between Barton and Mr Lynch at the bar. Chelsea Kearns, prosecuting, said CCTV footage appeared to show Barton gesture to Mr Lynch to go outside before he left. Mr Lynch left a minute later.
Gary O’Grady. Pic: Instagram
Ms Kearns said: ‘On the road outside the golf club a woman hears shouting. She hears a male shouting, “Stop, stop”.’
The lawyer said witnesses saw two men taking it in turns to punch, kick and stamp on a ‘bald’ man on the ground. Another witness said they heard one man tell Mr Lynch that he ‘should’ve behaved’.
Police officers quickly arrived at the scene, with forensics officers cordoning off the club and scouring the grounds for clues. Mr Lynch was taken to hospital with face and rib injuries.
Joey Barton. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Last night police said that he was in a serious but stable condition in hospital. District judge James Hatton granted O’Grady bail, but remanded Barton into custody to appear before Liverpool Crown Court next month.
Barton, O’Grady, and Mr Lynch are all registered as members of the golf club. Earlier yesterday, Barton, who has one England cap and also played for Queens Park Rangers, Rangers, Burnley and Marseille, was ordered to pay £339,000 (€392,000) to former England soccer player Eni Aluko after she sued him for libel.
Ms Aluko brought legal action against Barton over two posts he made in 2024 on social media site X.
Gervase de Wilde, for Ms Aluko, told the London High Court that Barton had wrongly claimed she had ‘cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying’, and that she was a hypocrite.
Barton – who also managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers – did not attend the hearing, with Mr de Wilde telling the court that he ‘was arrested yesterday and is currently being held in custody’.
The barrister said that between January and August 2024, Barton published 48 posts relating to Ms Aluko on his X account, adding that he had ‘carried out a deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification’.
Mr de Wilde said one post included an image of Ms Aluko’s head superimposed on to serial killer Rosemary West’s body.
He added: ‘The campaign amounted to an attack on multiple aspects of her life and personality. ‘Mr Barton’s campaign caused Ms Aluko enormous distress. When she sought to defend herself against Mr Barton’s conduct and that of his followers, he criticised and attacked her.’
According to a court order, Barton has been ordered to pay £339,000, with the first £100,000 (€115,000) plus interest due by March 24.
Reporting by Liz Hull
