Quantcast

Ben Stokes charged by police

England respond after police in the United Kingdom charge allrounder Ben Stokes with affray in relation to Bristol incident

Ben Stokes has been charged with affray following September's late-night incident outside a Bristol nightclub that kept him from taking part in England's Magellan Ashes campaign.

Stokes, along with Bristol men Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, have each been charged with one count of affray, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed on Tuesday.

All three men are set to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court at a yet-to-be-confirmed date within six months.

READ: Ben Stokes tweets after being charged

Confirming the criminal charge, a spokesperson for England's Crown Prosecution Service said: "The CPS was passed a file of evidence by Avon and Somerset Police on 29 November in relation to an incident of disorder in Bristol city centre."

"Further material was subsequently received in late December. Following a review of all the available evidence, the CPS has today authorised the police to charge three men with affray in connection with the incident."

A man sustained a fractured eye socket during the incident in Bristol.

Stokes was later suspended from international cricket until "further notice" by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and subsequently missed the Ashes series in Australia which England lost 4-0.

The ECB has confirmed its selection panel will now meet to make a call on Stokes' involvement with the national side.

"ECB is aware that Ben Stokes has been charged with affray in relation to an incident in Bristol in September," an ECB spokesperson said in a statement.

"The Board will now convene within 48 hours to decide on Ben Stokes' availability to represent England at this stage.

"A further announcement will be made in due course."

While originally named in England's squad for the Ashes, Stokes played no part in the series.

He was also selected in the squad for the ongoing Gillette ODI series in Australia, but has since been replaced.

Stokes made his return to cricket in his native New Zealand late last year, giving rise to speculation he could be a late inclusion to England's touring party.

However the firebrand allrounder subsequently returned to the United Kingdom without setting foot in Australia.

Stokes could still feature in next month's T20 tri-series in Australia and New Zealand if given the green light by the ECB, however that seems unlikely.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has given Stokes permission to play in April's Indian Premier League, the lucrative T20 tournament that the Durham product was named MVP of last year.