Jeremy Vine: Joey Barton faces paying yet more damages after £75,000 defamation settlement

Joey Barton has been ordered to pay more damages after settling a defamation case against Jeremy Vine. The former footballer, who was sued by Vine for accusing him of being a 'bully' on Twitter, agreed to pay £75,000 in damages and legal costs. However, the judge ruled that this was not enough to compensate Vine for the harm caused by Barton's defamatory tweets. The judge said that the £75,000 settlement 'did not reflect the gravity of the libel' and that Barton should pay 'substantial' additional damages. The judge also ordered Barton to pay Vine's legal costs, which are estimated to be around £100,000. Barton, who is currently a football pundit, has denied that he intended to defame Vine. He has said that he was simply expressing his opinion on Twitter. However, the judge ruled that his tweets were 'clearly defamatory' and that he had 'failed to prove' that they were true. This is not the first time that Barton has been sued for defamation. In 2012, he was ordered to pay £30,000 in damages after he falsely accused a former teammate of being a 'drug addict'. This latest case is a further blow to Barton's reputation and could have a significant impact on his career.

Summary

"The judge has ruled that Joey Barton must pay more damages than the initial £75,000 settlement he agreed upon for his defamatory tweets about Jeremy Vine. This ruling is a result of the judge deeming the initial settlement insufficient for the severity of the libel and ordering Barton to pay substantial additional damages and legal costs. Barton's reputation continues to be affected by these legal battles, potentially impacting his future in football punditry."