Directing the jury, Judge Menary explained that the term “grossly offensive” in the charges required a “high bar” for conviction.
“The criminal law is not there to punish bad manners, sharp humour, or unpopular opinions,” he said.
“The law only intervenes when the content is of such an extreme, degrading or dehumanising character that society as a whole would say ‘that goes too far, that crosses the line of what we can tolerate’.”
Barton was released on bail and Judge Menary ordered a pre-sentence report be prepared.
The judge also warned him it would be “very foolish” to post anything on social media about the case before then.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Callum Bryce, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said Barton had “subjected three public figures to offences of malicious communications”.
“In his evidence before the court [Barton said] that in some of his messages he was trying to make a serious point in a provocative way and that in others he was simply joking,” he said.
“The finding of the jury confirmed that his conduct had gone beyond any joke and his messages were grossly offensive with the purpose of causing anxiety and distress to his victims.”
