Stokes lost his control during brawl, court told

England cricketer Ben Stokes mocked two men’s “camp behaviour” before losing his self-control and knocking two other men unconscious in a street fight last September, a court heard yesterday.Stokes — on trial for alleged affray — acted in “revenge, retaliation or punishment” and was involved in a “sustained episode of significant violence”, prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis told a jury at Bristol Crown Court in southwest England.Stokes, 27, who starred on Saturday as England beat India in a Test Match at Edgbaston, is accused of knocking out 27-year-old Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, 28 in a brawl.All three are on trial and each denies the charge of affray.The cricket star had earlier gestured towards gay couple Kai Barry and William O’Connor, mimicking their voices, the court heard.The fight took place outside a Bristol nightclub after 2:00am on September 25 last year, the prosecutor said, just hours after Stokes played in a one-day international win over the West Indies. Stokes, Ali and Hale were all involved in threatening and/or using unlawful violence towards each other, it is alleged.“During the incident, Mr Stokes lost his control and started to attack with revenge, retaliation or punishment in mind. Well beyond acting in self defence or defence of another,” Corsellis said.“He knocked Mr Hale unconscious and then — after time to pause for thought, to calm — he did exactly the same to Mr Ali.“Mr Ali received significant injuries including a fractured eye socket and required hospital treatment.”The three accused all sat together in the dock.“This was not a trivial moment of unpleasantness. It was a sustained episode of significant violence that left onlookers shocked,” Corsellis said.“A bottle was used at the beginning by Mr Ali and a broken street sign brought into the fray towards the end by Mr Hale.”The court heard that Stokes had been staying in a Bristol hotel with the England cricket team. He did not know the other two defendants, who were local and were friends.Stokes and some England teammates, including batsman Alex Hales, arrived at Mbargo nightclub at around 11:30pm. Stokes and Hales left at 12:46am and returned at 2:08am.Told that the club was closed, Stokes first offered doorman Andrew Cunningham £60 to get back in, then £300. Stokes then began insulting the bouncer’s gold teeth and tattoos.Security camera footage showed Stokes copying hand gestures and flicking a cigarette at O’Connor’s head.Ali and Hale left Mbargo at 2:23am and engaged in conversation with Barry and O’Connor. Barry touched Ali’s groin and Ali pushed him away.Footage showed Ali raising a bottle and striking at Barry.Stokes then threw a punch towards Ali and the pair fall to the ground and grappled.