Following the publication of an article in 2019 in the Sun newspaper concerning a family matter before the cricketer was born, Ben Stokes and his mother have achieved a settlement from the Sun newspaper.

Mother of Ben Stokes, Deborah Stokes commented: “The decision to publish this article was a decision to expose, and to profit from exposing, intensely private and painful matters within our family. The suffering caused to our family by the publication of this article is something we cannot forgive.

“Ben and I can take no pleasure in concluding this settlement with the Sun. We can only hope that our actions in holding the paper to account will leave a lasting mark, and one that will contribute to prevent other families from having to suffer the same pain as was inflicted on our family by this article.”

The family were represented by Brabners LLP. Paul Lunt, solicitor to Ben and Deborah Stokes and Head of Litigation, said “The Sun has apologised to Ben and Deborah. The paper has accepted that the article ought never to have seen the light of day. The apology to our clients acknowledges the great distress caused to Ben, Deborah and their family by what was a gross intrusion – and exploitation – of their privacy. Substantial damages have also been paid, as well as payment of legal costs.”

See the Brabners LLP press release here.

The Sun stated: “On 17 September 2019 we published a story titled ‘Tragedy that Haunts Stokes’ Family’ which described a tragic incident that had occurred to Deborah Stokes, the mother of Ben Stokes, in New Zealand in 1988. The article caused great distress to the Stokes family, and especially to Deborah Stokes. We should not have published the article. We apologise to Deborah and Ben Stokes. We have agreed to pay them damages and their legal costs.”

Coverage of the settlement can be found in the Guardian, Press Gazette and BBC Sport, amongst others.