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QPR’s Barton cleared of Twitter charges

Comment: 0 February 7th, 2012 by: admin

Queens Park Rangers skipper Joey Barton has been cleared from any persecution following his Twitter remarks claiming his support for the FA’s decision to strip Chelsea’s John Terry of his England captaincy.

In the tweets, which have been subsequently deleted, Barton clearly showed backing for his teammate Anton Ferdinand whom Terry subjected to racial abuse, causing an investigation by Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC

The controversial Barton stated that he was merely practicing free speech in sharing his thoughts to the public. Some however feared that he was dangerously coming close to being guilty of contempt of court.

“I will gladly go to jail for a month, in the name of free speech. I have no problem with what I said. Make me a martyr…,” the QPR captain added on the social website.

“What are they going to do put everyone who exercises freedom of speech in jail? They’ll be a revolution, if they try that ****.”

Despite the messages, Grieve announced that Barton was in the clear, but left the skipper with a fair warning.

The statement reminded that he was treading in murky waters and should avoid committing contempt in the Terry case, which is due before Westminster’s Magistrates’ Court on 9 July.

“Between February 3-5, Twitter exchanges on Joey Barton’s page which related to the forthcoming trial of John Terry were brought to the attention of the Attorney General’s office,” said the Attorney General.

“They have been considered in relation to any possible contempt of court they could create. In this instance the Attorney has decided no action is necessary.

“Although in this instance no action will be taken, we would like to remind those who publish material that proceedings for the John Terry trial are active.

“Any discussion of a live court case has the potential to interfere with its proper course.”

To this day, Terry denies the accusations pointed his way.

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