Former footballer Joey Barton has been charged over a golf club attack.
The Merseyside-born player was arrested in connection with the reported assault of a man close to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club on Sunday evening (March 8).
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 9pm and discovered the victim with injuries to his face and ribs which required treatment.
He is currently in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
Police arrested two men on suspicion of Section 18 wounding with intent and since charged Barton, 43, of Widnes and Gary O’Grady, 50, from Huyton.
Barton’s detainment was confirmed in the High Court by Gervase de Wilde, who is representing Eni Aluko in a libel case involving the one-time England international.
The barrister told the court that his instructing solicitor had ‘received a call from a duty solicitor in a police station in Liverpool’ shortly before the hearing took place.
The pair were remanded in custody to appear at Wirral Magistrates Court on Tuesday (March 10), when details of the victim Kevin Lynch’s injuries were detailed..
Chelsea Kearns, prosecuting, told the court that the former non-league football manager, 51, may have suffered ‘irreversible’ injuries to his eyesight in the ordeal.
Barton will remain in custody until he and O’Grady are scheduled to appear at Liverpool Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on April 7.