Alex Hales denies seeing Ben Stokes fracas, despite CCTV evidence shown to court
England cricketer Alex Hales told police he did not witness the alleged fight between his team-mate Ben Stokes and two other men, a court has heard.
The Nottinghamshire batsman told a uniformed officer, who had just arrested all-rounder Stokes for assault, that he had turned up after the fracas had finished.
But jurors at Bristol Crown Court have seen CCTV footage showing Mr Hales, who was never arrested or charged in connection with the incident, with Stokes and kicking a man on the ground.
Stokes, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale are jointly accused of affray following the alleged incident in the Clifton Triangle area of Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year.
Durham cricketer Stokes was arrested by Avon and Somerset Pc Stacey Alway on suspicion of assault after he had been identified by an off-duty police community support officer as being the person who knocked out Ali.
Pc Alway was wearing a body camera and jurors were played the footage, hearing the officer walking over to Stokes and telling him: "A guy over there was covered in blood and I've been told you punched him."
Stokes replies: "Because he was abusing my two friends for being gay."
He can be heard asking Pc Alway: "Is there going to be any sort of cameras around here? Have those two other guys gone? What about two other lads - gay guys?"
Mr Hales tells Pc Alway he did not witness the alleged fight.
"I came after you guys turned up," he says.
When she tells him to leave Stokes, who has been placed in a police vehicle, Mr Hales replies: "I feel bad. He's my best friend. I saw him after everything happened."
Mr Hales says to Stokes: "I don't want to go. Are you sure? I turned up after the whole thing."
In the police car, Stokes appears to mouth at Mr Hales something like "Come with me" or "You're with me".
Stokes can also be heard asking Pc Alway to loosen the handcuff on his right hand because it was too tight and he had undergone three operations on it.
