Newcastle United Football Club News

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

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Barton released on bail

03 Jan 2008 - 16:27:58

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Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has been released from prison after being granted conditional bail by a Crown Court judge.

The 25-year-old had looked set to spend the next two weeks in Liverpool's Walton Prison after magistrates refused to grant him bail at a hearing on Thursday morning.

During the initial hearing, the assault charge against him was upgraded from a Section 39 common assault to a Section 47 assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

However, despite being remanded in custody until January 16 by magistrates, his legal team convinced a Crown Court judge that there was no danger of him re-offending.

His solicitor Daniel Weed revealed: "Mr Joseph Barton has been granted bail with conditions until he appears at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on January 16.''

Barton, who hails from the Huyton area of Merseyside but whose career has been dogged by disciplinary problems, was initially charged with assault and affray in relation to an incident in the Church Street area of Liverpool in the early hours of December 27.

He was arrested with two other people after an alleged incident at a McDonald's restaurant.

Andrew Barton, 19, is charged with actual bodily harm and affray, while Nadine Wilson, 27, is charged with common assault and affray.