Relatives of footballer face life imprisonment

TWO relatives of a Premiership footballer are facing up to 30 years in jail after they were convicted of the racist murder of black teenager Anthony Walker.

Anthony, aged 18, was slain with an ice axe after he walked away from thugs shouting racist abuse in Huyton, Merseyside, in July.

Michael Barton and Paul Taylor, the brother and cousin of Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, will be sentenced to life imprisonment tomorrow. The minimum tariff for a racially aggravated murder is 30 years, although that figure is likely to fall following mitigation.

Taylor, aged 20, who swung the axe, pleaded guilty two weeks ago to murder.

Barton, aged 17, who started the confrontation and supplied the weapon, was found guilty of murder yesterday following a trial in Liverpool.

Trial judge Mr Justice Leveson indicated that he considered both Barton and Taylor's actions to be racially motivated.

Anthony was attacked by Barton, who struggled to get the better of the powerfully-built basketball fanatic.

When it became clear that Anthony was winning the fight, Barton shouted "Get him off me!" and Taylor struck him from behind with the axe.

Taylor later told his girlfriend that he had to act "because Michael was getting battered".