LONDON, Dec 8 : Former British soccer player and coach Joey Barton was given a suspended jail sentence on Monday for sending offensive social media posts to two ex-players and a broadcaster.

Barton, 43, was convicted last month over X posts sent to former England international Eni Aluko, former player-turned-pundit Lucy Ward and BBC presenter Jeremy Vine in early 2024.

Prosecutors said the messages sent by Barton, who played for clubs including Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers and managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, "crossed the line between free speech and a crime".

Barton argued his posts were provocative or meant to be "banter" and not intended to cause distress or anxiety.

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