Hepburn given 10-year ban in England and Wales

Former Worcestershire all-rounder Alex Hepburn has been banned from cricket-related activity in England and Wales for 10 years.

Hepburn was jailed for five years for rape in 2019 and released in 2021.

The 28-year-old's ban is backdated to the point when he was released from prison.

Hepburn, now living in Australia, was found guilty at a retrial in 2019 on charges relating to an attack at a flat in Worcester in 2017 and his conviction was upheld at the Court of Appeal in 2020.

The attack on 1 April 2017 took place on the first night of a sexual conquest competition with team-mates, which he helped set up on a WhatsApp group.

The Australian-born Hepburn was charged by the Cricket Regulator with two breaches of the 2017 England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Directives earlier this year.

The first related to his arrest and subsequent criminal conviction, and the second to his participation in an offensive WhatsApp group.

Hepburn did not respond to the charge letter and the independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) - the body that hears disciplinary cases in the professional domestic game in England and Wales - reached its decision in his absence.

In addition to serving a 10-year ban, Hepburn is also required to undergo appropriate professional treatment for the issues leading to his criminal conviction and undertake appropriate training and education courses before resuming any cricket related activity.

Team-mates Joe Clarke and Tom Kohler-Cadmore were charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the ECB in 2019 after being named as members of a WhatsApp group which came to light during Hepburn's trial.

Neither Clarke nor Kohler-Cadmore were charged with any criminal offence.