Ben Stokes vows to clear his name after being charged with affray

England cricketer Ben Stokes was last night charged with affray over an incident outside a Bristol nightclub last September.

The all-rounder, who missed England’s Ashes series defeat in Australia, will appear before Bristol magistrates’ court “in due course”, The Times reports.

Stokes - who was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm following the nightclub brawl - has been included in the squad for the limited-overs matches in Australia and New Zealand and for a subsequent two-Test series in New Zealand, but members of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are “divided” over his participation, the newspaper says.

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An ECB spokesman said: “The ECB is aware that Ben Stokes has been charged with affray in relation to an incident in Bristol in September. The board will now convene within 48 hours to decide on Ben Stokes’ availability for England at this stage.”

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is expected to announce a date for for Stokes’ first court appearance, which is likely to be between the start and middle of next month.

If he pleads not guilty, the case will go to trial, says The Daily Telegraph, and a hearing is “likely to be at least another month away”. The offence with which Stokes is charged carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. The Sun says that if found guilty, he could also be fined an “unlimited amount”.

Two other men involved in the Bristol incident, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, have also been charged with affray.

In a statement last night, the prosecution service said: “The CPS was passed a file of evidence by Avon and Somerset Police on 29 November 2017 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.”

Stokes has been suspended from playing for England since the incident, but after being charged, the 26-year-old has vowed to clear his name, The Guardian reports.

In a statement on Twitter, Stokes thanked his family, friends, fans and teammates for their support, adding: “I gave a full and detailed account of my actions to the police on the day - and have cooperated at each step of the police inquiry.

“I am keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial.

“The CPS decision to charge me, as well as Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, at least means that my account of what happened that night can come out in court and be made public. Until then, my focus is very much on cricket.”

According to the Telegraph, Stokes could also miss out on playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). The ECB had cleared Stokes to play in the IPL, but due to the serious nature of the charge, his involvement is by no means guaranteed.