Joey Barton pleads not guilty to sending malicious posts about Eni Aluko

• Former footballer's case to be heard on 27 August
• Bail conditional on no social media mentions of Aluko

The former footballer Joey Barton has pleaded not guilty to an offence of malicious communications in relation to posts directed at the pundit Eni Aluko.

Barton, 41, appeared at Warrington magistrates court accused of conveying an indecent or offensive message between 3 and 8 January in connection with posts on X that he made about the former England international.