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Newcastle star Barton granted bail

  • Story Highlights
  • Newcastle star Joey Barton is granted bail on assault and affray charges
  • Barton, 25, will next appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on January 16
  • Barton spent the New Year in prison after an initial hearing on December 28
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LONDON, England -- Newcastle and England midfielder Joey Barton has been released from jail after being granted bail by a judge at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.

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Barton is finally being released on bail after spending the last week behind bars.

Barton, 25, had twice been refused bail following his arrest in Liverpool on December 27 when he was charged with common assault and affray.

But his request to the Crown Court was accepted only hours after his second hearing with Liverpool magistrates ended unsuccessfully.

After a private hearing that lasted an hour, Barton's legal team, led by solicitor Daniel Weed, confirmed the former Manchester City player would leave Liverpool's Walton Prison on Thursday. No conditions of the bail were revealed.

Weed said: "Mr Joseph Barton has been granted bail with conditions until he appears at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on January 16."

Earlier on Thursday, Barton's assault charge was upgraded from a Section 39 common assault to a Section 47 assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

It has been alleged Barton and a group of his friends were involved in two separate incidents following a row with another group inside a McDonald's restaurant in Church Street, Liverpool, last Thursday.

The player's brother, Andrew Barton, 19, from Widnes, is charged with actual bodily harm and affray and Nadine Wilson, 27, from Huyton, Merseyside, is charged with common assault and affray.

They did not appear on Thursday but will stand alongside him in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on January 16.

Barton, who grew up in the Liverpool suburb of Huyton, earned an England call up for his performances last season for Manchester City, winning one cap. He joined Newcastle in the summer in a $12 million deal but has missed much of the season through injury. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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