Joey Barton has been slammed for his claims about the murder of Anthony Walker.
Barton’s brother Michael and cousin Paul Taylor where handed life terms in jail for the racially-motivated murder of the teenager at a Merseyside park in 2005.
The former was released in September last year after serving 17 years of his sentence, which was reduced from its original minimum term by eight months.
But the Liverpool-born football player and now manager reignited the subject of the 18-year-old’s brutal killing in a podcast interview with James English.
A clip widely circulated ahead of the episode’s release showed Barton claiming that his brother ‘lost’ 17 years of his life over as ‘a f****g scrap’.
Those remarks have been condemned by the Anthony Walker Foundation, set up in his memory, who described them as ‘lacking in any sensitivity’.
“The Anthony Walker Foundation has become aware of an excerpt from a James English podcast featuring Joey Barton, wherein he refers to the murder of Anthony Walker by his brother Michael,” read a statement.
“We consider his description of Anthony’s murder as factually incorrect, lacking in any sensitivity given the serious nature of the incident, in which Anthony Walker tragically lost his life to a violent racially motivated attack by Mr Barton’s brother and his cousin Paul Taylor.
“This year is the eighteenth anniversary of Anthony’s murder, so we express our hope that Mr Barton will reflect on the impact of his words and the profound significance of the actions of his brother as he walks the street a free man.
“It is worth noting that Michael Barton did not lose 17 years of his life, the only life lost that day was Anthony’s and not for 17 years, but forever.
“It saddens us that someone with his reach and status would seem to trivialise the incident that led to such an outcome and heap further pain and suffering upon the family and friends of Anthony.
“The Anthony Walker Foundation will continue to strive for a more inclusive world where such an incident never reoccurs.
“Our charity will continue to tackle racism, hate crime and discrimination by providing educational opportunities and victim support services and by promoting equity and inclusion for all.”