TV soccer co-commentator Lucy Ward has informed a jury that social media posts from Joey Barton left her “intimidated” and “physically scared”.
Ex-Manchester Metropolis and Newcastle United participant Barton is alleged to have “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” with messages on X, previously Twitter, about Ms Ward, fellow soccer pundit Eni Aluko and broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
Barton, 43, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Courtroom accused of 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive digital communication with intent to trigger misery or nervousness.
In January 2024, Barton – who has 2.7 million followers on the X platform – likened Ms Aluko and Ms Ward to the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary” after a televised FA Cup tie between Crystal Palace and Everton.
Giving proof on Tuesday, Ms Ward stated she “knew he would get to me at one point” due to Barton’s common viewpoint that he didn’t like ladies commenting on males’s soccer matches.
Requested by prosecutor Peter Wright KC how she felt in regards to the publish, she stated: “Intimidated. It was very unpleasant to be the subject of someone’s abuse.
“I am making an attempt to do my job. I’m one of many few females doing it and I’ve already crossed over a number of obstacles. It is powerful to do your job with that occuring.
“Fred and Rose West tortured, sexually abused and killed children, so I couldn’t really work out why I was being called that. At first it was very, very harsh but then obviously it continued.”
Mr Wright stated: “How did you feel about that?”
Ms Ward replied: “Stress. Anxious. Because you don’t know in your head where it’s going. You can’t escape someone who has more than two-and-a-half million followers on Twitter, not just their tweets but people who latch on and message you and make comment.
“It was attending to the stage now the place I bought a bit of scared, bodily scared actually. It was a steady harassment, what I’d name bullying. And you do not know who’s on the market and the way they will react, particularly these days.
“I felt vulnerable going to games.”
Ms Ward, who performed ladies’s soccer for Leeds United and later grew to become their head of training and welfare earlier than her present 20-year broadcasting profession, stated she felt “vulnerable” when Barton later posted a picture of her face and Ms Aluko’s superimposed on to a photograph of the Wests.
She informed the courtroom: “I just thought this is going to explode in a really negative way. It just makes you feel very vulnerable.
“I am within the public eye, I am at all times at video games and the insinuation with two individuals who tortured, sexually abused and killed kids will not be someone you need to be in contrast with.”
Mr Csoka said: “You perceive what can be meant by the expression ‘she or he is murdering the commentary’?”
Ms Ward said: “Sure, it is not very nice.”
Mr Csoka said: “Equally with the {photograph} of your face and Eni Aluko’s face superimposed on the picture of Fred and Rose West – clearly not nice – however you perceive what that analogy was?”
Ms Ward said: “I believe except you’ve got been on the receiving finish of it… it is horrific.”
Barton denies the alleged offences stated to have been dedicated between January and March final yr.
The trial is ongoing.
