JOEY Barton will face trial accused of leaving his wife with a lump the size of a golf ball on her head two days before her birthday.
The former football player allegedly attacked Georgia Barton at his home in Kew, southwest London.
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Barton, 41, was due to stand trial in 2022 after pleading not guilty to assault by beating, but that was halted when Georgia withdrew its pleas.
However, the trial is now set to go ahead following a High Court ruling today.
Dame Victoria Sharp said the previous judge’s decision to drop the case “was wrong in principle”.
Barton is accused of grabbing Georgia by the throat and kicking her in the head during a fight in June 2021.
It was said that she had been left with a golf bruise the size of a ball on the forehead and a bloody nose.
Wimbledon The Magistrates Court heard in March 2022 that Georgia wrote a letter to prosecutors that contrasted “starkly” with her first account.
She claimed they were having dinner with friends and downed up to five bottles of wine each.
Georgia then suggested she accidentally hurt herself when friends intervened in an argument between the two.
A judge ordered the proceedings to be halted due to concerns that the trial would be unfair to Barton.
This was because prosecutors said they did not plan to ask Georgia to give evidence in court as they feared she might give an untrue account of events.
Barton’s lawyers argued this would leave him at a disadvantage as it meant she could not be questioned about inconsistencies in her evidence.
But Dame Victoria said today: “In the circumstances of this case, it would have been appropriate for the defense to have telephoned Ms Barton and for the prosecution to cross-examine her.”
She continued: “No prejudice could have been caused to Mr Barton if Ms Barton had been called by the defence, or the court for that matter.”
Barton married his childhood sweetheart in a lavish ceremony in 2019 at a country house in Oxfordshire.
The couple have two children – a son born in 2011 and a daughter born in 2014.
Barton began his football career at Manchester City in 2002 after coming through the youth ranks and made 150 appearances for the club.
He then moved to Newcastle United in a £5.8 million move in July 2007, before leaving for Queens Park Rangers in August 2011.
The midfielder was then loaned to French side Marseille during the 2012-13 season, before heading to Burnley for a season – helping promote them to the Premier League.
Barton made one appearance for England in 2007 – despite criticizing some of his fellow players.
The footballer later attempted a career in management with stints at Fleetwood City and Bristol Rovers.
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