Joey Barton 'kicked wife in head' causing 'golf ball-sized lump' after 'four or five bottles of wine', court hears

Former Manchester City star Joey Barton “kicked his wife in the head” causing a “golf ball-sized lump” after drinking “four or five bottles of wine”, a court heard. The 39-year-old allegedly grabbed his wife Georgia by the throat and kicked her in the head at their house in Kew, southwest London on June 2 last year.

Bristol Rovers manager Barton denies assault and is facing trial at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court today.

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The start of the hearing was briefly delayed as a district judge was asked to decide whether police should take a statement from Ms Barton before the trial starts. It was said Ms Barton has never given a formal statement about what happened during the incident and has not been asked by the prosecution to give evidence at the trial.

Prosecutor Helena Duong said the couple, who were entertaining friends including another couple, were said to have got into a drunken argument over “families”. She said Barton had pushed his wife over and kicked her in the head.

Ms Duong said: “The prosecution case is brought on the 999 call and body worn footage. On the evening of 2 June Mrs Barton called 999 at 11.14pm and says that she has just been hit in her house by her husband. She asks for the police officers to attend urgently. At 11.38pm the police officers attend and speak to her outside.

“She’s waiting with another friend and another couple in the background as well. She says she had gotten into a drunken fight, the disagreement was about families, with her husband.

“She says she was ‘pushed down and kicked about and stuff.’ She said ‘he has got my head and pushed me down and he kicked me on