Newcastle's Joey Barton Sentenced To 6 Months Behind Bars

The latest updates involving Joey Barton..

From The Liverpool Echo, Tuesday 20th May 2008:

Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been jailed for assault and affray.

Jailing the 25-year-old Huyton-born midfielder for six months, Judge Henry Globe said: “You delivered many blows and were acting in an extremely violent and aggressive manner.”

Barton, who was described by his barrister as addicted to alcohol, had earlier admitted committing assault and affray in the early hours of December 27.

CCTV cameras picked up the Newcastle United star as he staggered along Church Street, getting involved in two separate altercations.

The camera operators monitoring alerted police after seeing an incident at about 5.30am.

Two men claimed they had been attacked by Barton and officers arrested him and two friends further along Church Street outside a mobile phone shop.

The £6m midfielder, who has one England cap, had been out with friends and family after an ankle injury forced him to miss the Boxing Day game in which his Newcastle United teammates were beaten 1-0 at Wigan.

He spent the New Year behind bars at Walton prison.