Joey Barton to pay substantial damages in Eni Aluko libel and harassment claim
On Tuesday 10 March 2026, the High Court made former professional football manager and player, Joey Barton, the subject of an injunction (and subject to a penal notice) and ordered him to pay substantial sums to former England footballer and pundit, Eni Aluko, having failed to comply with the terms of a settlement agreement made in December 2025 relating to unlawful social media posts. The injunction follows Mr Barton’s criminal conviction in which he was found guilty of posting grossly offensive electronic communications.
Mr Barton was found guilty of six criminal charges in November 2025. At a sentencing hearing in December, he was ordered to undertake 200 hours of community service and given a six-month suspended custodial sentence. The settlement of Ms Aluko’s civil claim for libel and harassment followed shortly thereafter.
Mr Barton could not attend court on 10 March 2026 as he was held in custody for an unrelated GBH charge and denied bail by Liverpool Magistrates Court. Counsel for Ms Aluko informed the court Mr Barton called his solicitors via a police station duty phone “to explain that he was in custody and unable to participate further in the proceedings”. Lavender J granted Mr Barton seven days in which he could request to amend the order which was made.
A unilateral statement in open court was read, with Ms Aluko attending in person to hear it. She commented after the hearing, “I’m glad it’s the end”.
Under the terms of the order, Ms Aluko is to be paid £339,000 plus interest, reflecting the terms of the settlement agreement with which Mr Barton failed to comply. She was also awarded her legal costs for the application to enforce the settlement agreement and for the injunction.
Yesterday’s hearing marks another episode in a series of losses by Mr Barton as a result of his social media activity. Last year, Mr Barton settled a similar claim brought by journalist and presenter, Jeremy Vine, after he posted a number of defamatory statements about Mr Vine on X. Mr Barton agreed to pay £75,000 to Mr Vine, make a public apology and pay legal costs, reported to be in excess of £200,000.
The Barton cases demonstrate that intentionally harmful social media posts may carry serious ramifications for the author, including giving rise to criminal and civil actions.
Another key takeaway is the importance of complying with the terms of settlement agreements. Had Mr Barton made the payments to Ms Aluko as he agreed, it would not likely have been necessary for her to make an application to court to order the undertakings and force him to pay, together with the associated costs.
Mr Vine commented in December 2025 that the various civil proceedings brought against Mr Barton may have cost Mr Barton in the region of £600,000. If correct, this figure will have risen significantly following this week’s hearing.
This case is a salutary reminder to think twice (or at all) before posting on social media, as the consequences can be severe.
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