Barton Facing Five Years As Former Toon Stars Give Evidence!
By Nu Mad
Updated Monday, 30th June 2008
Former Toon players Stuart Pearce and Sylvain Distin will be among the witnesses today when Joey Barton appears in court charged with assaulting his then Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
Stuart Pearce, the England Under-21 manager, was boss of City when Barton allegedly 'lamped' Dabo.
Barton will stand trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court over an alleged incident during a practice match at City's training ground on May 1 last year.
Although the evidence is beyond doubt (as the hospital photos show) that Dabo was either struck with a fist or hit by a Tiger tank, but Barton has denied inflicting actual bodily harm on the Frenchman.
Dabo, a former France international who now plays for Lazio, is to fly into Manchester for the trial.
