Ben Stokes trial - as it happened: England cricketer tells court he had 'pretty stupid face' but wasn't drunk
All-rounder accused of attacking two men during fracas
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Cricketer Ben Stokes has denied being drunk during an alleged brawl outside a Bristol nightclub, although he said he had a "pretty stupid face" when shown images from the night of the incident.
The all-rounder, 27, is accused of attacking two men during the fracas last September.
Mr Stokes entered the witness box on Thursday, the fourth day of his trial, to tell the jury he was protecting himself and others during the alleged fight with two men, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale.
But Mr Hale earlier told Bristol Crown Court Mr Stokes "could have killed" him.
Mr Hale and Mr Ali were also charged with affray, although the judge instructed the jury not to find Mr Hale guilty since there was no evidence he used or threatened unlawful violence.
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Mr Stokes has told the jury he asked for his handcuffs to be loosened after his arrest because he had undergone surgery on his right hand in recent years. He had had about “five or six” operations on the hand, he said.
Mr Stokes has been giving details about his alcohol consumption before the altercation.
He told the court he may have had a beer to celebrate after his team won a match against the West Indies, but would have had to drive back from the ground to his hotel.
“Every ground we play at there is a person who looks after the changing rooms, and sometimes even if we lose, there will always be an eski with some beers,” Mr Stokes said.
When he returned to the hotel he drank two or three pints of lager with his meal, which he was eating with his wife Clare and three other players and their respective partners, he said.
After eating a meal, Mr Stokes and some of the other England players got taxis into Bristol city centre and went to the Mbargo nightclub, he told the court.
Defence lawyer Gordon Cole QC asked: "Were you drunk?"
"No," replied Mr Stokes.
Mr Stokes said the group went into the nightclub but most of the team left after a while and went to the Pryzm nightclub instead.
Mr Cole exhibited a photograph of Mr Stokes and teammates James Anderson, Jake Ball and Alex Hales taken outside Pryzm.
Mr Stokes described his face as a "pretty stupid face".
Mr Cole said: "There might be a suggestion that this photograph suggests your demeanour. Where you in a bad mood?"
Mr Stokes replied: "No."
He said he drank five or six vodka and lemonades in Mbargo before going to Pryzm and drinking "more than one" vodka and lemonades.
Mr Stokes said that he and Mr Hales decided to go back to Mbargo, leaving Mr Anderson and Mr Ball together.
Mr Stokes said he and his teammate Alex Hales were refused re-entry to Mbargo. He offered the bouncer money, but we still not allowed in.
He is watching CCTV of the night of the alleged fight. Mr Stokes denies sticking two fingers up at the bouncer.
Mr Stokes told jurors the bouncer was "pretty blunt".
Asked about offering Mr Cunningham money, Mr Stokes said it would have been around £60 or £70, but not £300.
“I would say it was £60, £70. I would say 'If we give you some money can we come in?'. (He said) 'No, you're not getting in',” Mr Stokes said.
Describing Mr Cunningham's tone, the cricketer said: “It was still blunt but there was definitely a change in his attitude from when we offered him money to get back into the club.
“The tone and the way he was speaking to us just changed. It went from being just blunt and started to be a bit more... It was like he had something against us because we had offered him money to get back in."
Mr Stokes said he did not use the "c-word" towards the bouncer
"I said to him 'Come on mate, I've got shit tattoos as well, let us back in'," he told the court.
Mr Stokes' defence lawyer asked him to explain the reference to “shit tattoos” and he replied: “I am constantly getting told by teammates and by who I play with that I have got shit tattoos.”
Mr Stokes denies flicking a cigarette butt at Mr Barry and Mr O'Connor, sticking two fingers up at the bouncer or mentioning his gold front teeth.
He said he been wearing black ripped jeans, a green t-shirt and white Buscemi high-top shoes with gold padlocks on the back.
“My attire on that night got mentioned,” he said. “It was one of the gay couple.”
Mr Cole held up the Buscemi leather shoes to the jury.
“I had never heard of the brand, I just quite liked them,” Mr Stokes said.
Judge Peter Blair QC interjected: “Italian white leather, aren't they?”
The jurors watched the CCTV clip of what appears to be Mr Stokes flicking a cigarette butt towards one of the gay men.
"I don't remember flicking a cigarette towards anyone," he said.
"Obviously, it looks like I have thrown something in the direction of one of those two gentlemen."
Mr Cole asked: "Did you get angry about what was being said? Upset? Enraged?"
Mr Stokes replied: "No."
He said before leaving he shook the hand of one of the two doormen, but the other refused.
Mr Stokes has told the jury he heard Ryan Hale and Ryan Ali shouting homophobic abuse at the two gay men outside the nightclub.
He said he could not remember specific words, but it was "very clear" they were making comments about their sexual orientation.
"I stepped in and said you shouldn't be saying those things to those two men."
When asked about the exact phrase he used, Stokes said: "You shouldn't be taking the piss because they are gay."
"I was told by Mr Ali along the lines of 'Shut the f*** up or I'll bottle you'."
Mr Stokes confirmed that he could see that Mr Ali was holding a beer bottle and added: "I went down the same lines as what I told them before and telling him that he shouldn't be saying what he was saying to those two guys."
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