By Maria Ward-Brennan
FormerPremier League football Joey Barton issued a statement on X today to apologise to broadcaster Jeremy Vine after he posted several defamatory messages, including one calling him a ‘#BikeNonce’.
Vine launched legal proceedings in March against Barton for defamation, which went to a preliminary hearing in May.
The dispute came after Barton posted several posts on his X account back in January, including a clip from the Jeremy Vine Show, where he falsely accused him of having a sexual interest in children. There were also other posts focused on the vaccination during the pandemic.
On 29 May, Mrs Justice Steyn handed down her decision for the preliminary hearing, where she concluded that 11 of the 14 posts could defame Vine.
She stated that there was “strong impression gained by the assertion the claimant is known as (‘aka’) ‘Bike Nonce’, followed immediately by the further assertion that he is known as (again, ‘Aka’) ‘Pedo defender’,” as that term “primary meaning to allege the claimant has a sexual interest in children”.
On Tuesday at 12:24pm, Barton posted out on his X account (which is now pinned) highlighting that he accused Vine of having a sexual interest in children, and created a hashtag which made the same allegations, “which were viewed millions of times”.
He said he recognises “that this is a very serious allegation” and noted “it is untrue”.
“I do not believe that Vine has a sexual interest in children, and I wish to set the record straight,” he stated.
He continued: “I also published posts during the same period in which I referred to Vine having advocated forced vaccination during the Covid 19 pandemic, based upon a video clip of his TV programme. I accept that he did not advocate this policy and that the video clip has been edited to give a misleading impression of what he was in fact saying.”
“I then taunted and abused Vine for bringing a legal complaint against me. I have agreed not to make the same allegations again about Mr Vine and I apologise to him for the distress he has suffered.
He noted in the post that in order to resolve the claims against him, he has agreed to pay Vine £75,000 in damages plus his legal costs. Vine had a legal team from law firm Samuels Solicitors and barristers from 5RB Gervase de Wilde and Luke Browne.
