England all-rounder Ben Stokes claimed he punched a man for abusing another individual “for being gay”. During his trial in Bristol, he is accused at Bristol Crown Court in southwest England for alleged affray, along with 27-year-old Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, 28.
Stokes told police in a statement that he had to intervene because it was “two on to one” in the brawl with Ali and Hale. The two gay men claimed that all-rounder was defending, Kai Barry and William O’ Connor, “thanked me for preventing them from being beaten up,” the cricketer told police.
But off-duty police community support officer Mark Spure, who attempted to break up the fight, told the court that Stokes “seemed to be the main aggressor.”
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Jurors have seen footage of Stokes talking to O’ Connor and Barry outside the Bristol nightclub Mbargo during the midnight of September 25 last year. The court has also been shown footage of Stokes assaulting Ali and Hale — who are friends — after walking away from the club. He is accused of knocking Hale unconscious, and then Ali.
Detective Constable Daniel Adams, the officer in the case, told jurors: “Ryan Ali and Kai Barry appear to be having a disagreement. M.r Barry grabs Mr. Ali around the groin area. Mr. Barry appears to link arms with Mr. Ali and is shrugged off and pushed away.”
Further CCTV footage showed Stokes approaching a retreating Ali, Adams said.
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Police-constable Stacey Alway, who arrested Stokes at the scene, said, “As I approached the group I could see the male wearing the green T-shirt, Mr. Stokes, squaring up to the other males.” Replying to the same, Stokes said, “A guy over there was covered in blood and I’ve been told you punched him. These men were speaking to the gay guys in what I would call a harsh and abusive way. It was homophobic in nature. I took exception and said ‘leave it out’. One of the guys responded — he said ‘shut up or I’ll bottle you’.”
Stokes told police that Ali tried to attack him with a bottle in his hand. He also explained that at that very moment he didn’t have an option as he felt the threat of immediate attack from both those men and Ihe did what he did only in order to defend himself.
