15 March 2024 , 10:37
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Former footballer Joey Barton has begged for money on a crowdfunder after being named as the defendant in a libel case brought by broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
Barton confirmed on social media that Vine was suing him. The 41-year-old has used the phrase "bike nonce" to describe Vine, including when sharing a post which showed Vine and disgraced former TV host Rolf Harris.
Vine has not spoken publicly about the defamation case, which has been brought in the High Court. Barton acknowledged the existence of proceedings on social media, though, including in at least one post which has since been deleted.
Barton, who claims he is being sued for £250,000, has started a crowdfunder with a target of £100,000. Writing on social media, he said "all proceeds gained" will go to Alder Hey children's hospital.
On the crowdfunder page itself, Barton writes that the fundraising effort is designed "to provide crucial support in his legal battle against Jeremy Vine". He adds that donations to Alder Hey will come from "any damages awarded".
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At the time of writing, just over an hour after Barton posted about the crowdfunder, £1,380 of the target has been contributed.
According to the Evening Standard, pundit and broadcaster Eni Aluko, 37, has also engaged lawyers in the light of statements from Barton about her family.
Jeremy Vine has been the subject of multiple social media posts from Barton (Channel 5)“Joey Barton recently published a Post on X which made untrue, inaccurate and defamatory allegations about me and my family," Aluko wrote on Instagram. “It is particularly harmful that Mr Barton involved my family in that post, suggesting my late father, a distinguished Nigerian senator, was in receipt of 'dodgy money' and that I had benefitted from his corruption which paid for my lavish lifestyle including Rolls Royce cars and a private education. Mr Barton also publicly stated he knew where my family lived.
“These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress. These were made just days after I stated publicly that I was genuinely scared, following Mr Barton's repeated online posts targeting me using extreme violent comparisons in previous weeks.
“I have instructed Judith Thompson at Samuel's Solicitors, as well as Sara Mansoori KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu at Matrix Chambers to send a letter before action to Mr Barton setting out the true position and requesting that the post on X be taken down. Instead of taking down his post, Mr Barton published a post today mischaracterising my legal complaint with a photograph of my letter of claim, causing further abuse of me, and my legal advisers. While he has now removed that post, it has been necessary to make this statement to set out the correct position.”
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