The controversial midfielder faces trial for an alleged assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.

Magpies boss Kevin Keegan is standing by Barton, but his hand could be forced if the £5.8m star is convicted for a second time.

More Newcastle United news...
Barton's United future in the balance - click here
Keegan will back Barton - Toon legend

Prison can turn Barton's life around - click here
Barton's bad boy past - click here.
Should Newcastle sack Joey Barton? Vote here

Barton was jailed for six months for assault and affray at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday after CCTV footage captured him taking part in a street attack on December 27 last year.

A statement released by the club after yesterday's court judgement said: "Newcastle United notes the sentence passed to Joey Barton at Liverpool Crown Court. The club is considering the verdict and will be making no further comment at this moment."

The court heard how Barton, 25, his cousin, Nadine Wilson, 27, and brother Andrew Barton, 20, went into a McDonald's restaurant in Liverpool, where Wilson became involved in a confrontation with a group of youths.

Outside the restaurant, the rows continued and Barton, who had drank 10 pints of lager and five bottles of lager, was caught on a CCTV camera knocking an unidentified man to the ground.

He then straddled the victim and punched him four or five times as Wilson threw food at him before Barton punched him another 15 times.

Minutes later, the player attacked a 16-year-old youth, punching him in the face and breaking a number of his teeth.

The midfielder is no stranger to trouble.
He was previously fined six weeks wages by former club Manchester City for stubbing a lit cigarette out in a team-mate's eye.

And he is due to stand trial again next month after an alleged training ground assault on former Man City team-mate, Ousmane Dabo.

Even if Barton is granted early release from his current sentence, he is unlikely to be available for the start of Newcastle United's pre-training programme in July.