Joey Barton denies kicking wife in the head as ex-Man City star appears in court for alleged attack after 'four or five bottles of wine'

The 42-year-old, who currently stands trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court, has rejected allegations that he kicked his wife in the head while their children slept upstairs. The incident reportedly took place at the couple's home in Kew, Southwest London, following an evening of heavy drinking. Barton admitted to the court that he has a temper but refuted claims that he physically harmed Georgia, insisting: “If I kicked someone in the head there would be a lot more damage than what's alleged in this case."

The court was told that both Barton and Georgia had consumed "four or five bottles of wine" along with two other couples on the night in question. The evening took a heated turn during a verbal dispute about a family matter. Witnesses testified that Barton allegedly threatened to fight Georgia's father and brother during the argument. It was further alleged that Barton pushed Georgia to the ground and kicked her in the head as tensions escalated. A friend who attempted to intervene was reportedly thrown aside, with Barton allegedly shouting, "Don’t disrespect me."

The court heard evidence from Georgia, who called the police at approximately 11 p.m., shortly after the alleged incident. During an emotional 999 call, she reported being struck by her husband, telling the operator: “Me husband's just hit me in the house. He's in the house, I'm outside."

When officers arrived around 11:30 p.m, Georgia stated that she had been “pushed down and kicked.” The police arrested Barton at midnight, finding him intoxicated and asleep in the bedroom. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Georgia, in her testimony, later suggested that Barton was not responsible for the injury. She explained that she had felt a “collision” to her head that left her disoriented but claimed, “It couldn’t have been Joe; he was too far away.”

Barton admitted to drinking six to eight glasses of wine during the evening and acknowledged that there had been a heated argument. He described the dispute as a petty disagreement that escalated due to his decision to side with a friend during the conversation.

Barton continued: "We just got into petty name-calling. We ended up getting a bit more agitated and were close to each other". While he admitted he has occasionally lost his temper in the past, he categorically denied the claims of assault.

In 2022, Barton was originally set to stand trial after pleading not guilty to charges of assault by beating. However, the case was halted after Georgia retracted her initial statements. The High Court later ruled that the trial should proceed, deeming the decision to drop the case as “wrong in principle.” This led to the resumption of proceedings, where both Barton and Georgia have now provided their testimonies.

With the case now in the hands of the court, the outcome could have significant implications for Barton’s reputation and his relationship with Georgia as they navigate this deeply personal and public ordeal.