Joey Barton has been ordered to pay more than £300,000 in damages and legal costs to former England international Eni Aluko following a high-profile libel case.
The High Court in London heard on Tuesday (March 10) that the legal action, which stemmed from a series of social media posts made by the former Manchester City midfielder in 2024, has been stayed following a settlement.
Barton, 43, who was not present at the hearing as he is currently being held in custody regarding a separate matter, has now accepted that his online campaign against Aluko amounted to harassment.
The Details of the Settlement
According to the court order, Barton must pay a total of £339,000. This eye-watering figure is broken down into damages for the reputational harm caused to Aluko and the significant legal fees accrued during the proceedings.
The court has mandated that the first £100,000, plus interest, must be paid by March 24, 2026. While Mr Justice Lavender granted Barton seven days to apply for a change to the order, the ruling marks a definitive end to a legal battle that has lasted over a year.
A “Campaign of Vilification”
The case centered on 48 posts published by Barton on X (formerly Twitter) between January and August 2024. Aluko’s representative, Gervase de Wilde, described the behavior as a “deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification.”
One specific post highlighted in court involved an image of Aluko’s head superimposed onto the body of serial killer Rosemary West. Other posts wrongly claimed Aluko had “cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying.”
De Wilde told the court: “Mr Barton’s campaign caused Ms Aluko enormous distress. When she sought to defend herself, he criticised and attacked her for doing so.”
Aluko’s Reaction
Aluko, who earned 102 caps for the Lionesses and has become a prominent broadcaster since retiring, attended the hearing in person. Speaking briefly outside the court after the result was confirmed, she expressed her relief, simply stating: “I’m glad it’s the end.”
Barton’s legal troubles continue to mount, as this ruling follows a similar libel case loss against TV presenter Jeremy Vine in 2025, which reportedly cost the former midfielder over £500,000.