Eni Aluko Wins £300,000 Libel Case Against Joe Barton

Eni Aluko, a former England football pundit, successfully won a libel case against Joe Barton, resulting in £300,000 in damages and legal costs awarded to her. The legal action was initiated due to two posts made by Barton on the social media platform X in 2024.

The High Court heard that Barton falsely claimed Aluko was cynically exploiting her status as an alleged victim of racism and labeled her a hypocrite. Gervas de Wild, representing Aluko, stated that Barton’s posts included a campaign of vilification against her, which caused her enormous distress.

Barton, who is the manager of Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, did not attend the hearing. The court ordered Barton to pay £339,000, including £100,000 plus interest, by March 24.

Justice Nichola Lavender granted Barton seven days to request a change in the order. Aluko expressed concerns about the harassment she faced from Barton’s actions.