Former Worcestershire player, Alex Hepburn, has been suspended from playing in ECB competitions for 10 years by the Cricket Discipline Commission, three years after he was released from prison having been convicted of rape.
Hepburn was charged by the Cricket Regulator with two breaches of ECB Directives earlier this year. The first of these breaches was in relation to his conviction in 2019, the second related to his participation in an offensive Whatsapp group in 2017, when Hepburn was playing for Worcestershire.
Given Hepburn's time in prison, the Cricket Regulator was only able to serve him notification of the charge earlier this year. A statement from the Cricket Regulator released today (September 23), stated: "Mr Hepburn failed to respond to the Charge Letter and related communication. As such, the CDC Panel reached its decision in his absence. Mr Hepburn has not appealed the CDC Panel's decision.
The CDC's verdict means that Hepburn will be suspended from playing cricket in ECB competitions for 10 years, commencing from October 30, 2021. The decision on the second charge was to suspend Hepburn from playing for a period of two years, which is deemed served having commenced on the same date. Hepburn will also have to undertake 'appropriate professional treatment' for the issues which led to his criminal conviction, and undertake appropriate training and education courses before he will be permitted to play, coach or undertake any cricket related activity which falls under the authority of the ECB.
Hepburn was sentenced to five years in prison in April 2019 after he was convicted of rape at Worcestershire Crown Court. During the trial, evidence was presented from a Whatsapp chat Hepburn had participated in with other Worcestershire players. The chat contained misogynistic messages which the presiding judge said "demeaned women and trivialised rape".
Hepburn appealed against the conviction, but the appeal was dismissed in September 2020. He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for life as part of his conviction.
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