PREMIERSHIP footballer Joey Barton was jailed for six months yesterday for his part in a brutal, alcohol-fuelled street attack.
The Newcastle United midfielder punched one man up to 20 times and left a 16-year-old boy with broken teeth, Liverpool Crown Court was told.
Despite assurances from the club's manager, Kevin Keegan, that Barton was a changed man, the judge, Henry
Globe, jailed him, describing him as "aggressive and disgraceful".
Barton, 25, his cousin Nadine Wilson, 27, and his brother Andrew Barton, 20, were captured on CCTV in Liverpool city centre during the early hours of 27 December last year.
The incident took place while Barton was on bail for the alleged assault of a former Manchester City team-mate, Ousmane Dabo, 31, and a separate criminal damage offence.
At about 5am the player, who had been on a night out with Wilson and his brother and had consumed ten pints and five bottles of lager, became involved in a confrontation with a group of youths in a McDonald's restaurant.
Once outside, Barton was caught on CCTV knocking a man to the ground before straddling him, and punching him repeatedly.
Minutes later, the player punched Jordan Spencer, 16, in the mistaken belief that the youth had slapped Wilson.
The court was told the Barton brothers had been goaded by remarks about their stepbrother, Michael, who is serving life for the racist murder of Anthony Walker in Huyton, Merseyside, in 2005.
Wilson, of Liverpool, was given six months for actual bodily harm and two months for affray, suspended for two years.
Andrew Barton, of Widnes, was given four months for common assault, suspended for two years, and a 12-month supervision order.
The full article contains 288 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
