Joey Barton has been charged by police over alleged malicious communications online.

It follows an investigation by Cheshire Police who said the charges related to messages the former footballer sent between 1 January and 18 January.

Barton, 41, posted on X that he had been charged over his tweets about Eni Aluko, a former England footballer and pundit.

He will appear at Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday 30 July.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Related posts:

UK reports another seven COVID deaths as nearly 15 million have now had two vaccine jabs Wales to delay easing of lockdown restrictions for further four weeks Duchess of Cambridge sets up early childhood research centre Over-75s and vulnerable adults to be offered fourth COVID jab in spring Next COVID variant ‘could be more severe’ and future winters will be ‘tricky’, govt advisers say Mum ‘lied about stepdad beating five-year-old son days before he was found dead’ Pregnant women to be offered test to detect pre-eclampsia on NHS Postal workers suffered more than 1,600 dog attacks in the last year ‘It’s a miracle she’s alive’: British student unable to walk after bison attack How Ukrainian refugees are spending their first Christmas in the UK Man raped teenager after taking her deeper into sea off British beach, court hears Three officers investigated over their inquiries into Nottingham triple killer