Joey Barton, the outspoken captain of Queen's Park Rangers has reacted to claims that a recent spate of tweets might have predjudiced a forthcoming race case involving Chelsea's John Terry and QPR defender, Anton Ferdinand. He tweeted: "I will gladly go to jail for a month, in the name of free speech. I have no problem with what I said. Make me a martyr..." 

The footballer's tweets are now said to be being examined by the Attorney General's office. A BBC journalist is said to have called the attention of the AG's office to the tweets posted on Twitter last Friday after Terry was stripped of his England captaincy. The tweets have since been deleted. Barton had some inkling what might follow, writing: "I'll probably get a letter now from 'the powers that be. If you're reading this don't bother ..."

Barton, had earlier taken to the micro-blogging site to berate the FA for allowing the matter to end up in court. He commented: "This John Terry saga, has turned into one of the most hideously managed spectacles I have ever known." Barton felt Terry was not a racist, but said 'something really stupid in the heat of battle'. He has challenged the authorities to imprison him over his comments made in defense of free speech. He argues: "They'll (there will) be a revolution, if they try that shxt." Attorney General Dominic Grieve - as the government's senior law officer has to ensure defendants facing criminal allegations receive a fair trial - now has a serious challenge on his hands in responding to the constant incendiaries from Barton in an age of rapidly multiplying communication channels.