TODAY AN arrest warrant was issued for Irish footballer Anthony Stokes after the former Ireland international failed to turn up to court for sentencing.
Stokes (34) was set to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court in Scotland today for bombarding his ex-girlfriend Eilidh Scott with offensive text messages.
The Dubliner 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.
Stokes later admitted breaching the non-harassment orders by repeatedly sending emails and texts to his former girlfriend.
The abuse is reported to have lasted between July 2018 and February 2019.
Ordering a warrant for his arrest in June last year, Sheriff Allan McKay said: "He pled guilty and was released on bail and he has now left the country in breach of bail. He is not here in breach of his bail conditions and I'm not at all sure that he will come back unless required to do so by some sort of authority so to do that I'm issuing a warrant for his arrest."
Anthony Stokes, who admitted to stalking his ex in 2019, is a wanted man for the second time after skipping court.https://t.co/AaMzVBnmU9 — Daily Star Sport (@DailyStar_Sport) September 16, 2022
Stokes was due to be sentenced last month, but allegedly caught Covid-19 at the time
A new warrant has now been issued by MacFadyen after he failed to turn up today in court
MacFadyen said: "These are post-conviction cases. He hasn't been responding to calls from social work and I will grant a warrant."
Stokes won nine caps for the Republic of Ireland during his career and played for a host of clubs including Celtic, Hibs and Sunderland.