Football manager Joey Barton allegedly grabbed his wife by the throat and kicked her in the head in a drunken row after drinking “four or five bottles of wine each”, a court has heard.

The former Queen’s Park Rangers midfielder, who now manages Bristol Rovers, is accused over an argument outside their home in Kew, southwest London, on 2 June last year.

Barton, 39, had been due to stand trial at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court charged with a single offence of assault by beating on Friday, but the hearing was adjourned.

He appeared in the dock having denied the charge, and was released on unconditional bail.

Late arrival of emails forced trial to be pushed back

The former Premier League star’s barrister Simon Csoka QC said Georgia Barton now claims she was injured accidentally when friends intervened in the argument with her husband after drinking “four or five bottles of wine each”.

Mrs Barton, who is said to have been left with a golf ball-sized bruise on her forehead and a bleeding nose, phoned police but was not due to be called as a prosecution witness.

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However, the court heard she had sent a letter to the Crown Prosecution Service on 17 February, followed up with two emails, which had only been seen by prosecutor Helena Duong on Friday morning.

“Mr Barton is married to the alleged victim in this case, and they continue to be in a relationship,” said Ms Duong.

“The Crown does not propose to call her.

“She has given an account some eight months after the incident and, in the Crown’s submission, it is plainly an attempt to exculpate her husband.”

Mr Csoka said there were two other couples at the house, and each of those present had been drinking “about four or five bottles of wine each”.

“What she is suggesting is the injury was caused accidentally when friends intervened in the argument,” he said.

District Judge Andrew Sweet adjourned the case to 23 June.

The court heard Barton gave a no comment interview, and the prosecutor added: “The issue in this case is that Mr Barton denies assaulting his wife at all.”

Barton played for teams including Manchester City, Newcastle, and Marseille during his playing career, as well as making one appearance for England in 2007.

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