Barton on the rampage – footage shows assault

The imprisoned footballer Joey Barton escaped an immediate further jail sentence yesterday after he admitted beating a team-mate senseless in a training session in May last year. He was given a four-month jail term, suspended for two years.

The midfielder, 25, of Widnes, had originally denied assaulting his former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, who was knocked unconscious and needed hospital treatment for head trauma, an inflamed eye and bruised eyelids.

But Barton, who was sold to Newcastle United in June last year, changed his plea before the trial opened at Manchester Crown Court, after the judge hinted that doing so would spare him a second prison term. He is currently serving a six-month sentence for a separate assault.

Merseyside Police released CCTV footage of the incident that initially saw him jailed, having previously withheld it to avoid prejudicing the Dabo trial. Taken in Liverpool at about 5.30am on 27 December last year, Barton is shown punching a man about 20 times before attacking a 16-year-old boy, Jordan Spencer, and breaking his teeth.