England cricket star Ben Stokes told of his family’s agony today as details emerged of a tragedy that took place 31 years ago.
The all-rounder, 28, posted an emotional statement on Twitter after a newspaper reported that his half-brother and sister were shot dead by his mother’s former partner in New Zealand in 1988.
Stokes, the hero of this summer’s cricket World Cup and the remarkable Ashes Test match at Headingley, said: “For more than three decades, my family has worked hard to deal with the private trauma inevitably associated with these events and has taken great care to keep private what were deeply personal and traumatic events.”
His mother Deb’s two children, Tracey, eight, and Andrew, four, were reportedly shot dead by their father Richard Dunn after the couple split. Dunn then turned the gun on himself.
Three years later Mrs Stokes gave birth to Ben, whose father is rugby coach Gerard Stokes. The family moved to England when Ben was 12.
Stokes criticised The Sun newspaper for publishing “incredibly upsetting” details of the murders.
He wrote: “I am aware that my public profile brings with it consequences for me that I accept entirely.
“But I will not allow my public profile to be used as an excuse to invade the rights of my parents, my wife, my children or other family members.
“They are entitled to a private life of their own.”
A spokesman for the Sun said: "The Sun has the utmost sympathy for Ben Stokes and his mother but it is only right to point out the story was told with the co-operation of a family member who supplied details, provided photographs and posed for pictures.
"The tragedy is also a matter of public record and was the subject of extensive front page publicity in New Zealand at the time.
"The Sun has huge admiration for Ben Stokes and we were delighted to celebrate his sporting heroics this summer. He was contacted prior to publication and at no stage did he or his representatives ask us not to publish the story."
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