30 November 2023 , 14:02
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Joey Barton has come under fire following comments labelling the racist murder of 18-year-old Anthony Walker by his brother and cousin as "a scrap".
Barton, the one-cap England footballer who notably played for Manchester City, Newcastle United and Marseille during his playing career, saw his relatives, Michael Barton and Paul Taylor convicted in 2005.
Anthony was walking his girlfriend to a bus stop on July 30, along with his cousin, when the trio were ambushed by the pair. While his girlfriend and cousin managed to escape, Anthony was hit in the head with an ice axe by Taylor. Sentencing the pair at Preston crown court, sitting in Liverpool, Mr Justice Leveson said they had carried out a "terrifying ambush" and a "racist attack of a type poisonous to any civilised society".
Now former Bristol Rovers boss Barton has sparked outrage after his comments on the killing were used to plug a podcast. The video has been watched over 1.3 million times on Twitter.
Joey Barton, speaking in the clip promoting the James English podcast (Twitter/JamesEnglishpodcast)
Anthony Walker was killed by Paul Taylor and Michael Barton in 2005 (Press Association)Speaking in the clip, plugging the James English podcast, the 41-year-old says: “My brother lost 17 years of his life from 17, because his mate, who was his cousin at the time, thought it would be a fantastic idea, when they were having a f*****g scrap, to pull an ice axe out and swing it into somebody and it stuck in his head.”
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Many viewers have expressed their anger in the comments. One person wrote: "'Lost 17 years of his life' Rightly so for being a racist murderer. It should have been a lot longer. Anthony Walker lost his whole life."
Another added: "His brother didn't 'lose' 17 years. He was convicted of an unprovoked, pre-planned racially-aggravated murder after stalking an 18-year-old and killing him simply because he was black. He then fled to Amsterdam to try and avoid being caught."
A third commented: "Just a casual reframe of the racist murder of an 18-year-old lad to plug a podcast."
Michael Barton was found guilty of murder - he was released in 2022 (STUART MASON)
Paul Taylor was found guilty of murdering A-level student Anthony Walker (Press Association)A statement issued by the Anthony Walker Foundation, which aims to tackle racism and prejudice, has slammed the "inaccurate" comments.
The statement says: "The Anthony Walker Foundation has become aware of an excerpt from a James English podcast featuring Joey Barton, wherein he refers to the murder of Anthony Walker by his brother Michael.
"We consider his description of Anthony’s murder as factually incorrect, lacking in any sensitivity given the serious nature of the incident, in which Anthony Walker tragically lost his life to a violent racially motivated attack by Mr Barton’s brother and his cousin Paul Taylor.
"This year is the eighteenth anniversary of Anthony's murder, so we express our hope that Mr Barton will reflect on the impact of his words and the profound significance of the actions of his brother as he walks the street a free man. It is worth noting that Michael Barton did not lose 17 years of his life, the only life lost that day was Anthony’s and not for 17 years, but forever.
"It saddens us that someone with his reach and status would seem to trivialise the incident that led to such an outcome and heap further pain and suffering upon the family and friends of Anthony.
"The Anthony Walker Foundation will continue to strive for a more inclusive world where such an incident never reoccurs. Our charity will continue to tackle racism, hate crime and discrimination by providing educational opportunities and victim support services and by promoting equity and inclusion for all."
Flowers and messages left in tribute to Anthony Walker at McGoldrick Park (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)On the day of the murder, Michael Barton, who was wearing a hooded top with a scarf or ski mask covering his face, began hurling racist abuse at Anthony and Marcus, telling them “walk n***** walk”, as they made their way along a street in Huyton. He and Taylor then followed the group, drove to the entrance of McGoldrick Park, hid in the bushes before ambushing them.
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Taylor drove the ice axe 6cm into Anthony's skull. The A-level student died at Walton neurological centre at 5.25am, but it's understood he would have been effectively brain dead within seconds of the blow being struck.
When police named them as suspects, Barton appealed for his brother and cousin to return to the UK and turn themselves in, which they eventually did, before they were convicted of murder following a trial that year.
The judge told Barton that although he did not wield the axe, he was jointly responsible for the murder. He said: "You knew what you intended to do as you drove searching out your quarries and you crept into the park with evil on your mind."
In September 2022, Michael Barton was released after serving 17 years in prison, while Taylor, who was given a minimum sentence of 23 years and eight months, is still locked up.
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