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‘He mentioned my gold teeth’: Cricketer Ben Stokes abused bouncer, court told

Ben Stokes was abusive to a bouncer before mocking two gay men leaving a nightclub, a court has heard.

The 27-year-old England allrounder is accused of affray during the early hours of September 25 last year.

Ben Stokes and his wife, Clare, arrive at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.

Photo: AP

Nightclub bouncer Andrew Cunningham told Bristol Crown Court that Stokes and teammate Alex Hales attempted to gain entry to the Mbargo nightclub after it closed at 2am.

They had been in there earlier with England teammates, who had played the West Indies in a one-day international the previous day.

Cunningham said Stokes began to abuse him after he refused them entry.

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"The ginger one offered me £60 [$105] and asked me if that would get them in," he told the jury.

"He had a conversation with his friend and he said '300 get us in' and I still told them no. I told them I would not have a job to go back to in the morning.

"He got a bit verbally abusive towards myself. He mentioned my gold teeth and he said I looked like a c— and I replied, 'Thank you very much'.

"He mentioned my tattoos and how shit they were."

Cunningham said two gay men he knew, William O'Connor and Kai Barry, then emerged from the nightclub and began talking to each other.

He described O'Connor and Barry as "extravagant" and said they acted in a "flamboyant" manner.

"The ginger guy picked up on this and started to take the mick out of them," he told the jury.

"They are quite effeminate guys and their voices are different. He made noises to try to copy them, not saying anything, just making stupid noises… camp gestures"

Cunningham said he did not step in until Stokes flicked a cigarette butt at the men.

"I asked him, 'If you are going to start on someone, start on me'," he said.

The doorman said Hales asked what had happened and, after being told, said to his teammate: "Stokesy – don't do that."

Cunningham said two men – Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, who are standing trial accused of affray with Stokes – left Mbargo and walked off with O'Connor and Barry.

He claimed that Stokes became annoyed after he refused to shake his hand, then walked off with Hales.

Prosecutors allege that trouble flared after Stokes and Hales caught up with Ali, Hale, O'Connor and Barry on a nearby street.

The cricketer is accused of knocking both Hale and Ali out during the fracas.

PA

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