Ben Stokes found not guilty of affray after street brawl outside Bristol nightclub

England cricketer Ben Stokes and his wife Clare at Bristol Crown Court
PA
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England cricketer Ben Stokes walked free from court today after he was cleared by a jury of affray over a street brawl on a night out in Bristol.

The Durham all-rounder was accused of angrily lashing out at two men, knocking them both unconscious as violence flared up outside a popular nightspot.

Stokes, 27, insisted he had only got involved to protect two gay men from homophobic abuse, and unleashed a string of punches to defend himself and England teammate Alex Hales from being hit with a bottle.

Prosecutors argued Stokes had been angry after he was turned away from nightclub Mbargo, and was intent on picking a fight when the violent brawl started.

However the cricketer argued he had been in a "joyful and happy mood" that evening, and only used violence in self defence.

Not guilty of affray: England cricketer Ben Stokes
AFP/Getty Images

Today at Bristol crown court, a jury found Stokes not guilty of affray after two-and-a-half hours of deliberations, and also acquitted co-defendant Ryan Ali, 28, of the same charge.

Stokes bowed his head and rested it against the front of the dock, before looking up to the ceiling in relief.

It can now be revealed that prosecutors wanted Stokes to also face two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but left it too late to add the charges to the indictment.

Judge Peter Blair QC accepted Stokes' legal team would have had no argument if the extra allegations had been added at a hearing in February, but was scathing about the last minute change of mind from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Stokes insisted from the start of the criminal case that he would be exonerated over the incident, in the Clifton Triangle area of Bristol at 2.30am on September 25 last year.

He had been out with England teammates celebrating a one-day international win over the West Indies when he and Mr Hales were denied re-entry to Mbargo.

Stokes, whose sparkling England career had been put in peril by the allegations, was accused of verbally abusing a bouncer and then mocking two flamboyant gay men.

However, the cricketer insisted he had not been abusing anyone, and had in fact been joking with the gay men over his gold-trimmed £700 white leather shoes.

Also on trial: Ryan Ali
PA

He told the court how violence flared up as he walked away from the club, as he overheard Ali and his friend Ryan Hale using "nasty homophobic words" towards the gay men.

Stokes said he stepped in to defend them, finding himself in a tussle with Ali on the ground.

The star said he feared both Ali and Hale were armed with bottle as he came out swinging punches, telling the jury: "All my actions were in self defence and in fear of my safety."

Following his acquittal, Stokes will now be available for selection for the Third Test against India later this week.

However, the case has raised uncomfortable questions about his behaviour while drinking and smoking late into the night in the aftermath of a cricket match.

And teammate Hales will have to answer to the ECB about footage of him apparently kicking Ali in the head and stamping on him in the midst of the violence.

Hales was questioned by the police but not charged, and was not called as a witness during the trial.

Stokes, from Castle Eden in Durham, and Ali, from Bristol, both pleaded not guilty to affray.

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