30 November 2023 , 14:46
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Joey Barton has been accused of heaping further suffering on the family of the teenager killed in a racist attack by his brother.
Michael Barton and his cousin Paul Taylor were convicted over the racist murder of 18-year-old Anthony Walker, which took place in Liverpool in July 2005. Michael Barton, who was then 17, racially abused Walker, 18, before he and Taylor ambushed the teenager and Taylor drove an ice-axe into his skull, causing fatal brain injuries.
Mr Justice Leveson said they had carried out a "terrifying ambush" and a "racist attack of a type poisonous to any civilised society". Michael Barton was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years, but was released on licence in September last year.
Ex-Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United and Marseille during his career, spoke about the murder on a podcast hosted by YouTuber James English. In a clip posted on Twitter, Barton said: “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***ing scrap, to pull an ice axe out and swing it into somebody and it stuck in his head."
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)He has now been slammed by The Anthony Walker Foundation, a charity set up in 2006 to try and eradicate racism, hate and discrimination. A statement from the organisation reads: "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.
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"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.
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)"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."