Joey Barton has been handed a
12-game ban, six of which are suspended, for his training ground
assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane
Dabo.
Barton attacked Dabo, who is now with Lazio, in May of last year
and was handed a four-month suspended prison sentence after
pleading guilty to assault earlier this year.
The Football Association's independent disciplinary commission
handed down the punishment to the Newcastle United midfielder on
Friday afternoon, with Barton also ordered to pay a fine of £25,000
after admitting a charge of violent conduct.
All of the suspended matches will be invoked should the one-cap
England international be found guilty of any similar charge
involving violence or be dismissed from the field of play for
violent conduct, but not for serious foul play.
A statement from the commission chairman Maurice Armstrong on
the FA's official website said: "Much has been written
about Mr Barton over recent months.
"The Regulatory Commission had the benefit of taking all
appropriate information into consideration. The Commission members
considered principally the serious attack by Mr Barton that clearly
cannot be accepted.
"The members also had to take into consideration the sanctions
imposed by the courts and the pro-active support Mr Barton has
received from Newcastle United FC and other professional
bodies.
"The Commission members wanted to punish the offence
appropriately but give Mr Barton an opportunity to ensure his
professional conduct does not falter again and ensure he is fully
aware of the consequences should he make another serious error of
judgement."
