England cricketer Ben Stokes arrives at court with his wife as jury retires to consider its verdict

England cricketer Ben Stokes has today been found not guilty of affray after the jury took less than three hours to reach a verdict. 

The 27-year-old – whose co-defendant Ryan Ali was also found not guilty – had been charged following a brawl outside a nightclub on September 25 last year.

The England all-rounder punched Ryan Hale, 27, to the ground and then knocked out Mr Ali, 28, during the fracas in the early hours of the morning in Bristol city centre. 

The pair both shared a handshake in the dock as they left the court room following the verdict this afternoon. 

Stokes’ wife Clare Ratcliffe, who accompanied her husband to court every day, cried as the verdicts were returned while the cricketer closed his eyes with relief and then looked up.

England cricket player Ben Stokes and his wife Clare Ratcliffe arrive at Bristol Crown Court this morning

England cricketer Ben Stokes' police mugshot

Ryan Ali, right, showing the injury he sustained to his left eye

England cricketer Ben Stokes’ police mugshot, left, and Ryan Ali, right, showing the injury he sustained to his left eye

Ryan Ali leaving Bristol Crown Court where he and England cricketer Ben Stokes have been found not guilty of affray

Ryan Ali leaving Bristol Crown Court where he and England cricketer Ben Stokes have been found not guilty of affray

Stokes said he was acting in self-defence, or in the defence of others, when he punched the two best friends hours after England played the West Indies in a one-day international in the city.

The jury at Bristol Crown Court took under three hours to acquit Stokes and co-accused Ali of affray following a seven day trial.

At the start of the trial the Crown tried to amend the indictment and charge Stokes with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm but this was rejected by the judge.

And half way through the trial Stokes’s legal team attempted to have the case against him dropped but this was also refused by the judge.

Ryan Hale, who was last week found not guilty of affray, pictured after the brawl

Stokes' hand, right, showing slightly swollen fingers in a picture taken by police, also after the brawl

Ryan Hale, left, who was last week found not guilty of affray, pictured after the brawl. and Mr Stokes’ hand, right, showing slightly swollen fingers in a picture taken by police, also after the brawl

Stokes missed the second Test against India at Lords and was not included in the squad for the third Test, beginning on Saturday at Trent Bridge, because of the on-going court proceedings.

He now faces the outcome of a cricket disciplinary case, which had been on hold pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

England team-mate Alex Hales, who was present outside the nightclub but never charged, will face the same disciplinary hearing.

The court heard how the night began with Stokes and other England players, including James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Plunkett, Jake Ball and Alex Hales, taking taxis into Bristol city centre.

Stokes had had ‘at least 10 drinks’ in the hours before the incident, which included a bottle of beer, two or three pints of lager, five or six vodka and lemonades and some Jagerbombs.

He was accused of being ‘actually really very drunk’.

Meanwhile Ali had drunk six or seven Jack Daniels and Cokes during his night out with Mr Hale.

Stokes, pictured with his wife today, was found not guilty of affray.

Ryan Ali, 28, was also acquitted

Stokes, pictured with his wife today, (left) was found not guilty of affray. Ryan Ali, 28, (right) was also acquitted

Mbargo nightclub in Bristol, where the violence erupted in the early hours of September 25 last year

Mbargo nightclub in Bristol, where the violence erupted in the early hours of September 25 last year

Much of the incident and the build-up was captured on CCTV cameras located around the Clifton Triangle area – a popular nightspot in Bristol.

Mbargo doorman Andrew Cunningham, 37, alleged he was offered £300 by Stokes to let him and Mr Hales back into the nightclub.

Mr Cunningham accused Stokes of getting ‘verbally abusive’ saying he had ‘s***t tattoos’ and that his gold teeth made him look like a ‘c***’.

He said Stokes was mimicking the mannerisms and voices of two gay men, William O’Connor and Kai Barry, outside the club but the cricketer insisted they were exchanging ‘banter’ about his expensive white leather shoes.

Stokes arrives with his wife this morning and was greeted by a waiting media

Stokes arrives with his wife this morning and was greeted by a waiting media

Stokes said he could not remember flicking his cigarette butt towards the gay men or directing a V-sign at Mr Cunningham.

The two cricketers left Mbargo and were looking for a casino when the violence erupted shortly after 2.30am in Queen’s Road.

Both Stokes and Ali claim they were acting in self-defence and blamed each other for being the aggressor.

Stokes maintained he heard best friends Ali and Mr Hale direct homophobic abuse at Mr O’Connor and Mr Barry – but was unable to say what those words were.

And when he intervened, telling the pair: ‘You shouldn’t be taking the piss because they are gay,’ Stokes said Ali replied: ‘Shut the f*** up or I’ll bottle you.’

He described his co-accused as ‘aggressive and violent’ towards himself, Mr Hales, Mr Barry and Mr O’Connor and denied he had ‘overexaggerated the exchange’ in order to ‘justify his own violent behaviour’.

Ali told jurors the England cricketer ‘was very angry and looking for someone to pick on’ and said that deciding to use a bottle as a weapon would be a ‘difficult decision for me to take’.

‘I would have to perceive a significant threat to do that. I can hear myself saying ‘Move away’,’ he said.

CCTV footage shows Ali waving a bottle towards Mr Hales before delivering a glancing blow to the shoulder of Mr Barry.

‘As soon as I see Mr Ali swing the bottle and physically hit them that’s when I took the decision to get involved,’ Stokes said.

‘I was trying to stop Mr Ali doing damage to anybody with a glass bottle.’

Stokes and Ali tussled and fell to the floor and when the sportsman got back to his feet Mr Hale was stood in front of him.

‘I felt under threat by these two and felt I had to do whatever it was to keep myself and others around me safe,’ Stokes said.

Mr Hales tries to grab Stokes, repeatedly begging his teammate to stop, telling him ‘Stokes, Stokes, that’s enough’.

When asked if he had become ‘enraged’ at any point during the incident, Stokes replied that it was a ‘difficult question to answer’.

The 6ft 2in cricketer added: ‘I didn’t know they could be carrying more weapons on them.

‘They could decide to attack me at any time if I was to turn my back on either of these two. At all times I felt under threat from these two.’

Mr Hales, who was interviewed under caution but never arrested in relation to the incident, was seen on the CCTV stamping and kicking Ali in the head as he lay on the floor.

Witnesses described seeing a group of men acting like ‘football hooligans’ and dialled 999.

Stokes was arrested and asked why he punched Ali. He told police: ‘Because he was abusing my two friends for being gay.’

Ali, an emergency services worker, suffered a fractured eye socket while Mr Hale, a former soldier, was left with concussion.

Stokes, of Castle Eden, Durham, and Ali, of Bristol, each denied a charge of affray. Mr Hale was found not guilty last week of affray by the jury on direction of the judge.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said today: ‘We carried out a thorough independent investigation into the events of 25 September before passing a comprehensive file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service which subsequently made the decision to charge.

‘Having reviewed the evidence, the jury has concluded the actions of the defendants did not amount to affray and we respect this decision.’ 

How Ben Stokes went from England star to Crown Court defendant

Here is a timeline of the events surrounding the trial of England cricketer Ben Stokes for affray.

2017

– September 25: Ben Stokes and teammate Alex Hales are involved in an incident at about 2.35am near a nightclub in Bristol after England played the West Indies in a one-day international in the city.

Ryan Ali suffered a fracture to his eye socket and his friend Ryan Hale also sought hospital treatment after they were both punched by Stokes.

Stokes is arrested by Avon and Somerset Police and released under investigation.

– September 27: England include Stokes in their 16-man Ashes squad, despite him suffering a minor finger fracture on his right hand. Hales is not included.

– September 27: The Sun newspaper releases footage filmed by student Max Wilson showing the incident involving Stokes and Hales and Ali and Hale.

– September 28: The ECB announces Stokes and Hales will not be considered for selection for England matches until further notice.

– October 11: Stokes loses his sponsorship deal with sportswear brand New Balance. Stokes apologises to Katie Price and her disabled son Harvey for a video that showed him imitating a TV clip of the youngster.

– October 14: Stokes marries his long-term partner Clare Ratcliffe in Somerset. Some of his England teammates are guests at the church wedding.

– October 28: England fly out to Australia for the Ashes without Stokes. England lose the series 4-0.

– November 29: Stokes arrives in New Zealand to play for Canterbury Kings.

– November 29: Avon and Somerset Police announce they have completed their investigation and have sent their findings to the Crown Prosecution Service.

– December 4: It is announced Hales will not face criminal charges, and the ECB says he is available for selection.

– December 6: Stokes is named in England’s one-day squad for the five-match series against Australia in the new year.

– December 23: Stokes ends his spell with Canterbury and returns to England.

2018

– January 11: Stokes is named in England’s Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in March and April.

– January 15: Stokes and two other men, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, are charged with affray following an alleged incident which left a 27-year-old man with a fractured eye socket. The England all-rounder says he is ‘keen to have an opportunity to clear my name’.

– February 13: Stokes, Ali and Hale appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court charged with affray. All three indicate not guilty pleas and elect to be tried by jury at Bristol Crown Court.

– February 14: Stokes travels to New Zealand to join up with his England teammates for the forthcoming Test series. He plays in both Tests as England lose the series 1-0.

– March 12: Stokes appears via video link from New Zealand to deny an affray charge. His co-accused deny the same charge. Judge Peter Blair QC, Recorder of Bristol, sets a trial date of August 6.

– August 4: Stokes takes four second innings wickets as England beat India in the first Test at Edgbaston.

– August 6: Stokes, Ali and Hale go on trial at Bristol Crown Court jointly accused of affray.

– August 9: Hale is found not guilty of affray by the jury on the direction of the judge.

– August 14: Stokes and Hale are cleared of affray.

 



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