Soccer

Joey Barton cleared of assault after rival tunnel incident

Daniel Stendel was left with a broken tooth after being pushed while Barnsley manager

Joey Barton has been cleared at Sheffield Crown Cout. Photograph: Alex Burstow/Getty Images

Mon Dec 6 2021 - 13:38

Former Premier League midfielder Joey Barton has been cleared of pushing over a rival manager at the end of a match, leaving him bloodied and with a broken tooth.

When the Bristol Rovers manager gave evidence last week, Barton, 39, denied it was him who shoved then-Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel in the tunnel after a League One match between his Fleetwood team and the South Yorkshire side at Oakwell on April 13th 2019.

Mr Stendel told a jury at Sheffield Crown Court how he was walking down the tunnel in the corner of the ground after his side’s 4-2 victory when he was knocked over by a push from behind, causing him to hit his face on the metal structure.

Video footage shown repeatedly during the trial showed Mr Stendel entering the tunnel followed by Barton, jogging, a moment later.

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The jury took under two hours to find Barton not guilty of one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a week-long trial.