Cricketer Alex Hales may have caused injuries to a man who was later knocked unconscious by England teammate Ben Stokes, a court has heard.
Stokes, 27, has insisted he was acting in self-defence when he hit Ryan Ali, 28, and Ryan Hale, 27, after they had abused two gay men near a nightclub in Bristol.
Still from CCTV issued by Avon and Somerset Police of England cricketers Ben Stokes (left) and Alex Hales outside the Mbargo nightclub.
Bristol Crown Court heard that the precise start to the violence is unknown but Ali, who is on trial alongside Stokes accused of affray, swung a beer bottle at Hales.
Ali then delivered a glancing blow to the shoulder of Kai Barry, a gay man who was out with friend William O'Connor in the Clifton Triangle area of Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year.
Stokes is accused of knocking Ali to the floor, with fellow cricketer Hales then apparently kicking his head and stamping on him as he lay on the ground.
The all-rounder is said to have knocked Hale unconscious before doing the same to Ali a short time later.
Ali suffered a fracture to the medial orbital wall on the left hand side of his face, with swelling on his left eye and a laceration above his eyebrow, a cracked lower left molar and a bruise behind his left ear.
Jurors have been told that Hales was interviewed under caution but not arrested or charged in connection with the incident.
Gordon Cole QC, representing Stokes, questioned whether his client had caused all of the injuries sustained by Ali given Hales' alleged involvement.
He asked the jury to carefully consider footage taken by student Max Wilson, who began filming from his bedroom window after hearing shouting from the street below.
The jury of six men and six women have been told Stokes and Hales went to the Mbargo nightclub in Bristol, where they had been drinking earlier in the evening, in the early hours of September 25.
Stokes is alleged to have been aggressive towards doorman Andrew Cunningham, who refused the two cricketers entry as it was after 2am, by calling him a "c***" and insulting his gold teeth and tattoos.
Happier times: Hales in action against an Australia XI in Drummoyne in January.
He is said to have mocked two gay men, Kai Barry and William O'Connor, outside the nightclub. They walked off with Hale and Ali.
Giving evidence, Stokes told the jury he intervened after hearing Hale and Ali launch homophobic abuse towards Barry and O'Connor on a street near the nightclub – with Ali threatening him with a bottle in return.
He insisted he was acting in self-defence and in defence of Hales, Barry and O'Connor at all times and admitted throwing a number of punches at Ali and Hale.
The trial continues.
PA
Source: Read Full Article