UK arrest warrant issued for Anthony Stokes

An arrest warrant has been issued for a former Republic of Ireland international striker Anthony Stokes after he failed to appear in court for sentencing.

Stokes, 34, was due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday after he admitted stalking his ex-girlfriend.

The former Celtic player was banned from contacting his former partner and her mother for four years in September 2019 and was handed four-year non-harassment orders after he admitted stalking.

At the time, sentencing was deferred for Stokes to be of good behaviour.

But the footballer later admitted breaching the non-harassment orders by repeatedly sending emails and texts to his former girlfriend and repeatedly calling her mother in November and December 2019.

He also admitted causing his ex-partner fear or alarm by repeatedly sending her messages between 16 November and 3 December, 2019 in which he did "swear and utter offensive remarks", and by repeatedly telephoning her parents to "utter inappropriate and offensive remarks" about her.

Stokes was due to be sentenced last month but was unable to attend as he had contracted Covid-19.

Following his failure to appear in court on Friday, Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen ordered a warrant for his arrest in the brief hearing.

Stokes was capped internationally for Ireland nine times during his career and played for a host of teams including Hibernian and Sunderland.