CLEARED BEN: THE TRUTH!
Pair not called by court ‘because they are gay’
TWO friends defended by Ben Stokes before a brawl claim they were not called as witnesses at his trial because they are gay.
The England cricket star was involved in a clash with Ryan Ali, 28, and Ryan Hale, 28, during a boozy night out.
The pair were both knocked out by Stokes during the incident.
The all-rounder said he only went for the men outside a Bristol nightclub after gay slurs were hurled at Kai Barry and William O’Connor.
Prosecutors claimed it was the sportsman who was being homophobic by mocking the way the “flamboyant and openly gay” pals walked.
But Stokes was cleared by a jury of affray. Mr Ali and Mr Hale were also cleared of the same offence.
Hairdresser Mr Barry, 27, and trainee beautician Mr O’Connor, 21, did not testify at Bristol Crown Court.
Mr Barry said: “Just a week before the case the Crown Prosecution Service said they didn’t want us there. I think police and the CPS ignored that it happened to us because we’re gay.”
Sources say the Crown Prosecution Service saw them as “unreliable witnesses”.
Jurors may have been baffled by their absence but were never told why they were not called.
A spokeswoman for the CPS said: “The evidence of Mr O’Connor and Mr Barry was disclosed to the defence but it was not deemed necessary to call them as witnesses.”
The pair said Stokes was their “hero” for coming to their rescue.
On ITV’s Good Morning Britain yesterday they claimed he was only put on trial because he was famous.
Mr Barry thanked him for “sticking up for two gay men” and said: “I am so sorry it went down like that and it shouldn’t have lasted that long in the first place.
“If it was any other person it wouldn’t have, would it?”