Joey Barton Remains in Custody Until 2027 Trial

Joey Barton will remain behind bars until his trial in 2027 after a judge refused his latest bid for bail.

The 44-year-old former midfielder, from Widnes, Cheshire, is accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Kevin Lynch, 51, during an incident in Huyton on 8 March this year. Barton denies the charge.

The alleged attack is said to have taken place after Barton had been drinking with Lynch at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, before events spilled over at Fairway, Huyton. Lynch, a former non-league manager and founder of special education school NexGen Academy, was reported to have suffered serious injuries to his eye.

Trial Postponement

At Liverpool Crown Court last week, Judge David Potter pushed Barton's trial date back a full year, adjourning it to 8 March, 2027. That decision already meant a long wait. Monday’s ruling made it even more stark: Barton will not be released in the meantime.

Court Appearance

Appearing via videolink from HMP Liverpool and dressed in a grey zip-up fleece, Barton watched as Judge Potter rejected a renewed application for bail. The former England international nodded as the judge remanded him in custody ahead of a pre-trial hearing scheduled for 11 December.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Career Overview

Barton, who won a single England cap, built a turbulent but high-profile playing career with spells at Man City, Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Rangers, Burnley and Marseille. Now, instead of touchlines and training grounds, his immediate future lies in the shadow of a courtroom clock, ticking down toward March 2027.