Ben Stokes trial - latest: Doorman says England cricketer mocked his tattoos and teeth before nightclub brawl
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Your support makes all the difference.The trial of England cricketer Ben Stokes resumed at Bristol Crown Court today.
The all-rounder, 27, is accused of attacking two men in a brawl outside of a local nightclub last September.
The court heard yesterday that Mr Stokes “lost control” in the affray and knocked Ryan Hale, 27, to the ground before knocking out Ryan Ali, 28.
Follow the latest on the trial in our liveblog below.
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The nightclub shut at 2am, but Stokes and Hales returned to the club in a taxi and tried to bribe Mr Cunningham to let them in after hours, the doorman says.
Mr Cunningham describes Stokes as “the ginger one”, and says he – Stokes – offered him £60 to let them in. When he refused, he claims Stokes upped the offer to £300.
When he again refused Stokes then called him a “c***,”, and Mr Cunningham said he replied: “Thanks very much.”
Quick recap: Ben Stokes is accused of affray and has been described in Bristol Crown Court as mimicking the mannerisms of a gay man – William O’Connor – outside the Mbargo nightclub in Bristol, before he then allegedly knocked two other men unconscious.
The doorman at the club, Andrew Cunningham is giving evidence. He says after he refused to allow England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales to re-enter the club, Stokes told Cunningham his “tattoos were shit” and that he looked like a “c***”.
Nicholas Corsellis, prosecuting, has asked Mr Cunningham about Stokes's tone during the exchange, to which he replied: "Quite a spiteful tone, quite an angry tone."
Earlier today, the judge, Peter Blair QC, reiterated to the jury the directions he had given them yesterday about only trying the case on the evidence they hear in the courtroom.
He said: “Because of the public interest in the individuals in the trial, who are accused, inevitably there is a great deal of press interest.
“It is inevitable that you will not be able to avoid the fact they are on the television and in the newspapers.
“But they can only ever present a fraction of the material that is presented to you and really you should not take any notice of them.
“One thing the court has no control over is the explosion of social media and it is likely in this case that people have tweeted things and put things on Facebook and make comments and who have not been in court.
“It is extremely important that you do not examine any of that because it can come from any biased viewpoint; people that have particular bug-bears or prejudice.
“I am asking that you do not go looking at that sort of material if you are someone who uses Twitter or Facebook or the multiplicity of social media sites.”
Mr Corsellis, prosecuting, has asked Mr Cunningham to describe Stokes's demeanour as he left.
"I just thought he was still annoyed with me as he walked up the road," he tells the court.
Mr Cunningham, who is not a cricket fan, says a few students and taxi drivers had mentioned that members of the England team, including Jonny Bairstow and Liam Plunkett, were in the club that night.
Lunchtime is over. The trial resumes and Andrew Cunningham is being cross examined by Stokes’ barrister Gordon Cole.
Mbargo nightclub doorman Andrew Cunningham is currently giving evidence in Bristol Crown Court. He says he refused to shake England cricket player Ben Stokes' hand, which caused him - Stokes - to get angry. Asked if he was also being aggressive by Stokes' barrister, Mr Cunningham tells the court he wasn't. "I was standing there like I am standing here now," he says.
Stokes’ barrister Gordon Cole is suggesting to nightclub doorman Andrew Cunningham, that when Stokes and teammate Alex Hales returned to the club the second time, that he – Cunnginham – was being aggressive to the pair.
Mr Cole also suggests Hales and Stokes were laughing and joking with the two gay men William O’Connor and Kai Barry, but Cunningham disagrees.
“You were aggressive towards Mr Stokes and Mr Hales that night, Mr Cunningham?" Mr Cole asks. The witness replies: ‘No’.
Mr Cole says: “When Mr Stokes and Mr Hales returned to the club you were immediately aggressive towards them. You were rude in the way you spoke to them. They then stood outside for quite some time laughing and joking. They were laughing and joking and they were laughing and joking with Mr O'Connor and Mr Barry.”
Mr Cunningham replies: “Definitely not. I never became aggressive. They were laughing and joking at them, not with them.”
Mr Cole suggests there was an exchange of “mickey taking” between Stokes and Mr Hales and the two gay men. “It was banter going on between four people outside the club,” he says.
Mr Cunningham replies: “That's not how I would call it.”