Jeremy Vine breaks silence on Joey Barton 'bike n***e' slur apology and warns 'it's not the final outcome'
Jeremy Vine and Joey Barton were embroiled in a war of words on social media
PA
Jeremy Vine has responded to ex-footballer Joey Barton's apology after a court ruled he had been defamed by the outspoken sports personality.
Vine, 58, sued Barton, 41, for libel and harassment over 14 online posts, some of which included the term "bike n***e" and other defamatory claims.
Barton now has to £75,000 in damages and has pinned an apology to Vine on his X page, but the Channel 5 presenter has warned the incident is far from over.
Vine similarly took to the social media site to react to the ruling, writing: "The news of Joey Barton’s apology and commitment to pay damages and costs is not the final outcome of this case.
"After five defamatory tweets, my lawyer offered Barton a chance to settle: pay £75k, plus my costs, and make an apology.
"He ignored that offer and posted more disgusting tweets about me, even publishing my home address to his followers.
Jeremy Vine is 'pleased' with the ruling
PA
"When I then took my case to the High Court, a judge ruled that TEN of the tweets I complained of were defamatory. Having lost, Barton has returned to the offer we made after tweet 5.
"There has therefore been a parallel action on tweets 6-10 and Barton will pay further damages for these. A number of other steps — including statements made in Court by way of apology — are still to be taken, and Barton has agreed to pay my legal costs of all of the claims."
Vine's solicitors, Samuels Solicitors LLP, provided further context on its website, describing the apology from Barton as merely a "first step".
"This post by Mr Barton is only the first step in the settlement of Mr Vine’s legal claims against Mr Barton," they began. "As part of the process begun by the publication of the Pinned Tweet, Mr Barton is also required to participate in a Statement in Open Court, in which he will make a comprehensive formal apology to Mr Vine, and to give undertakings not to repeat his conduct."
STATEMENT REGARDING JOEY BARTON:
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) June 18, 2024
The news of Joey Barton’s apology and commitment to pay damages and costs is not the final outcome of this case.
After five defamatory tweets, my lawyer offered Barton a chance to settle: pay £75k, plus my costs, and make an apology.
He…
Delving into another settlement away from the £75,000 damages ruling, the solicitors continued: "As part of a separate settlement, Mr Barton is to be required to pay Mr Vine a further sum of £35,000 in damages, pay additional legal costs, publish a second Pinned Tweet for 14 days, join in another Statement in Open Court, and to give further undertakings to Mr Vine."
It signed off: "Mr Vine is pleased that his claims have been resolved and that he has been vindicated in respect of Mr Barton’s appalling allegations and conduct."
Vine's statement, as well as his solicitor's, was in response to both the ruling and Barton's apology.
Pinned on his X profile, Barton's apology reads: "Between 8 and 12 January 2024 I published 11 posts which accused Jeremy Vine of having a sexual interest in children, and created a hashtag which made the same allegations, which were viewed millions of times.
"I recognise that this is a very serious allegation. It is untrue.
"I do not believe that Mr Vine has a sexual interest in children, and I wish to set the record straight."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Joey Barton has apologised to Jeremy Vine
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He continued: "I also published posts during the same period in which I referred to Mr Vine having advocated forced vaccination during the Covid 19 pandemic, based upon a video clip of his TV programme.
"I accept that he did not advocate this policy and that the video clip has been edited to give a misleading impression of what he was in fact saying. I then taunted and abused Mr Vine for bringing a legal complaint against me.
"I have agreed not to make the same allegations again about Mr Vine and I apologise to him for the distress he has suffered.
"To resolve his claims against me in defamation and harassment, I have agreed to pay Mr Vine £75,000 in damages and his legal costs," Barton signed off.