Ben Stokes charged with affray over Bristol brawl incident - what is affray and what sentence does it carry?

England cricketer Ben Stokes has been charged with affray following an incident in the city of Bristol last September, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Monday.

Stokes, 26, and two other men are due to appear before Bristol Magistrates' Court at a date to be fixed.

The Durham all-rounder has not played for England since the incident outside a nightclub, missing out on the Ashes tour to Australia. He did play in six domestic matches in New Zealand in December.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has also given Stokes permission to play in the Indian Premier League, which starts in April.

The CPS said Avon and Somerset police had passed on a file of evidence on Nov. 29 in relation to the incident, which left a 27-year-old man with a fractured eye socket, and further material was received in late December.

The other two men charged were named as Ryan Ali, 28, and Ryan Hale, 26.

Stokes was named last week in England's Twenty20 squad for a Tri-series against Australia and New Zealand next month but his participation was dependent on whether he was charged.

What is affray?

The legal definition of the term affray says: A fight between two or more persons in a public place so as to cause terror to the public.

People often get charged with affray where they are involved in a fight or brawl in a public place. It is a common law offence and is triable by a judge and jury.

What sentence does affray carry in UK courts?

The maximum penalty for the offence is three years in prison. The defendant can also be fined a unlimited amount.