Eni Aluko has taken to social media to express her happiness and relief after winning her long-standing court case against Joey Barton.
Barton has been ordered to pay £339,000 in damages and legal costs to Aluko after he was sued for libel. It is reported that he has to pay the first £100,000 plus interest by March 24.
Former England forward and pundit Aluko brought legal action against Barton over two posts he made in 2024 on X.
And on Tuesday, the High Court heard the case had been stayed, meaning proceedings were halted, with Barton to pay ‘substantial’ damages and Aluko’s legal costs.
Following the judgment, Aluko posted a video on social media of her walking with a thumbs up outside the Royal Courts of Justice – with text over the top reading: ‘We reached the finish line’.
The 39-year-old accompanied the video with a caption thanking everyone who has supported her along the way.
‘It’s been a two-year marathon but we reached the finish line today,’ she wrote.
‘Thank you to my brilliant legal team Judith Thompson (Samuels Solicitors), Luke Browne (5RB) and lead counsel Gervase de Wilde (5RB) and thanks to my dear family and friends and everyone who has supported #Litigation #FinishLine #OnlineAbuse.’
Gervase de Wilde, for Aluko, said that in the two X posts Barton had wrongly claimed she had ‘cynically sought to exploit her status as an alleged victim of racism and bullying’, and that she was a hypocrite.
Barton – who has managed Fleetwood and Bristol Rovers – did not attend the hearing, with Mr de Wilde telling the court that he ‘was arrested yesterday and is currently being held in custody’.
As revealed exclusively by Daily Mail Sport on Tuesday morning, Barton had been charged following a fight at a golf club.
De Wilde said that between January and August 2024, Barton published 48 posts relating to Aluko on his X account, adding that he had ‘carried out a deliberately targeted public campaign of vilification’.
He added that one post included an image of Aluko’s head superimposed onto serial killer Rosemary West’s body.
‘The campaign amounted to an attack on multiple aspects of her life and personality,’ he said.
‘Mr Barton’s campaign caused Ms Aluko enormous distress. When she sought to defend herself against Mr Barton’s conduct, and that of his followers, he criticised and attacked her for doing so.’
De Wilde said Aluko was worried that however she tried to stop the harassment, Barton ‘would exploit and manipulate it to use against her’.
The barrister said: ‘Mr Barton has now accepted that his campaign against Ms Aluko amounted to harassment and that he should not have made the publications.’
Justice Nicholas Lavender granted Barton seven days to ask to change the order. Before posting on social media, Aluko said: ‘I’m glad it’s the end.’
This court case comes in a chaotic 24 hours for Barton after Merseyside Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the 43-year-old and Gary O’Grady, 50, have been charged following an alleged assault in Huyton on Sunday night.
It comes after Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed that former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder Barton, 43, was one of the men allegedly involved in an altercation close to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, in Merseyside.
Emergency services were called to the facility on Sunday night following reports of an assault. One man was taken to hospital for assessment of injuries to his face and ribs.
It is understood that an argument started inside the clubhouse. There is a suggestion that a weapon was subsequently produced from outside the building.
In a statement, Merseyside Police said: ‘We can confirm that two men have been charged following an assault in Huyton on Sunday night, 8 March.
‘At around 9pm, emergency services were called to Fairway to reports of a man having been assaulted near to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.
‘The victim was taken to hospital for assessment of serious injuries to his face and body. He is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
‘Both men remain in custody to appear at Wirral Magistrates Court this afternoon, Tuesday 10 March.’
On Tuesday morning it was revealed that the alleged victim was found on the floor covered in blood following the alleged incident.
