December 30, 2007	Sunday	Zilhaj 19, 1428

LIVERPOOL (England), Dec 29: Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton was charged on Friday with common assault and affray by Merseyside Police and will spend New Year’s Eve in jail.

The 25-year-old Barton was one of three people arrested on Thursday after an incident in downtown Liverpool around 5:30am local time that morning.

Barton was remanded in custody until Jan 3 after he appeared in the Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

“I also have to consider the safety of the public; you lashed out indiscriminately,” magistrate Carol Myers said.

Barton attended court still wearing the same clothes he wore on Wednesday. He bowed his head to hide from the press and public gallery.

Prosecutor Jayne Hughes said Barton could be seen on closed circuit television cameras confronting a group of people on Church Street.

“The CCTV clearly shows Mr. Barton involved in altercations with members of the public going about their business,” Hughes said. “He was seen pacing around Church Street and lashing out indiscriminately at people walking around and standing around.”

Barton’s lawyer, Gwyn Lewis, said Barton was being “goaded” in the street and reacted after a female member of his group was attacked.

“Barton was involved in an incident of which he is in no way proud,” Lewis said. “It is fair to say there was an enormous amount of provocation, although that is not a defence.”

Barton missed Newcastle’s games against Chelsea on Saturday, and is set to miss the Manchester City game on Jan 2. He missed Newcastle’s 1-0 loss to Wigan on Wednesday with an ankle injury. The two others — 19-year-old brother Andrew Barton and 27-year-old Nadine Wilson — were released on bail.—AP