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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Barton admits team-mate assault | Barton admits team-mate assault |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Premier League footballer Joey Barton has admitted assaulting a former team-mate in a training ground row. | Premier League footballer Joey Barton has admitted assaulting a former team-mate in a training ground row. |
| The Newcastle United midfielder changed his plea ahead of a trial and admitted assaulting Ousmane Dabo during a training ground row on 1 May last year. | |
| The 25-year-old repeatedly punched Dabo as he lay dazed on the ground, Manchester Minshull Crown Court heard. | |
| The ex-Manchester City player is currently serving a six-month jail term for an attack in Liverpool. | |
| 'Knocked out' | |
| The trial, which had been due to start more than a year after the incident, was put back until after the season had ended for the convenience of witnesses. | |
| Many of them are involved in professional football. TIMELINE: BAD NEWS BARTON 2004 February: First red card for Manchester CityApril: Storms out of City ground after being droppedJuly: Criticised by manager for sparking mass brawl in pre-season friendly gameDecember: Stubs cigar into eye of team-mate Jamie Tandy at Christmas party (fined six weeks' wages)2005 July: Altercation with teenage fan during Asian tour (fined eight weeks' wages)2006 September: Drops shorts in direction of Everton fans during game (police take no action)2007 November: FA probe tackle on Dickson Etuhu after Barton's move to Newcastle but no actionDecember: Describes Newcastle fans as "vicious"2008 May: Jailed for assault | |
| Outlining the events at Manchester City's training ground on May 1 last year, prosecutor Richard Vardon said it was an "explosive combination of football and violence". | |
| Barton and Dabo confronted each other after a row during a training match, the court was told. | |
| Dabo, 31, was said to have felt intimidated that Barton had invaded his personal space as he shouted and swore at him. | |
| The Frenchman pushed his shoulder with both hands and Barton retaliated by punching him in the head, causing the Frenchman to fall over and lose consciousness. | |
| £5.8m signing | £5.8m signing |
| Mr Vardon said several witnesses said Barton continued to punch Dabo while he lay on top of the player, who was in a dazed state. | |
| One player, Georgios Samaras, said he had never seen such a violent incident on a training pitch in all his career, the prosecutor added. | |
| Barton, who admitted one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), will be sentenced on Tuesday. | |
| It is the third time Barton has been in court during 2008. | |
| Ousmane Dabo was in court to hear Barton admit the attack. | |
| In May Barton was jailed after an attack in Liverpool which took place two days after Christmas. | |
| CCTV images showed the footballer punching a man 20 times. | |
| Later in May Barton was cleared of vandalising a taxi during a night out in Merseyside. | |
| The Liverpool-born footballer was sold by City to Newcastle in a £5.8m deal last summer, signing a five-year contract. | |
| Newcastle United said it was not commenting on Monday's hearing. | Newcastle United said it was not commenting on Monday's hearing. |
| Dabo, 31, is now playing for Rome side Lazio and was in court to hear Barton plead guilty. | Dabo, 31, is now playing for Rome side Lazio and was in court to hear Barton plead guilty. |