Joey Barton Pleads Not Guilty to Alleged Assault Outside Golf Course

Ex-footballer Joey Barton has entered a not guilty plea regarding an alleged assault that occurred outside a golf club. The 43-year-old appeared remotely from HMP Liverpool for his plea hearing at Liverpool Crown Court. Barton is accused of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to 51-year-old Kevin Lynch on March 8. His co-defendant, Gary O'Grady, did not enter a plea during the hearing. The incident allegedly took place after the defendants had been drinking with the victim at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club. Mr Lynch, founder of NexGen Academy, reportedly suffered severe eye injuries. A trial date has been set for September 1, with the case expected to last seven days. Barton was remanded in custody, while O'Grady was granted conditional bail. As a former midfielder for several prominent teams, including Manchester City and QPR, Barton now hosts the podcast Common Sense With Joey Barton, which explores various issues in sports, society, and politics.