England all rounder ‘knocked men unconscious’

England cricket er Ben Stokes mocked a gay man and threw a cigarette butt at his head before knocking two men unconscious in a fight outside a nightclub in Bristol, a jury heard.

The 27- year-old allround er is accused of punching Ryan Hale, 27, to the ground and then allegedly knocking out Ryan Ali, 28, a short time later.

Stokes, Hale and Ali are jointly accused of affray – a charge they all deny – and are on trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Charges relate to an altercation on 25 September 2017 shortly after 2am, after the three defendants left the Mbargo nightclub.

Nicholas Corsellis, prosecuting, described Stokes as being “provocative and offensive” and in an “angry state of mind” before the alleged fight, describing the incident as “a sustained episode of significant violence that left onlookers shocked”.

Stokes and Ali are on bail.