Former Arsenal star hunted by police after failing to appear in court for third time

Anthony Stokes, a former striker for Celtic and Arsenal, is sought by police after missing court for the third time.

Stokes, 35, was scheduled to be sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Thursday for sending his ex-girlfriend and her father abusive messages. However, he was nowhere to be found, and his defense attorney acknowledged that he has “no explanation for his absence,” with a new arrest warrant being filed.

Stokes acknowledged to sending Eilidh Scott a barrage of abusive communications over the course of a seven-month period in 2019 in which he called her a “s**t” and a “w***e.” In the middle of the night, he also showed up at her house and demanding to know where she was.

The former footballer was given a four-year non-harassment order against Scott and her parents but continued to message Miss Scott and her father George. He is also said to have repeatedly phoned Miss Scott’s mother.

Before Stokes was ultimately apprehended in Northern Ireland this year, a warrant for his arrest had been initially issued in 2021 after he failed to show up for sentence. But after being given bail, he skipped court once more.

As a result, a new warrant was issued for Stokes’ arrest, and last month he traveled to Glasgow to turn himself in to police. Despite Sheriff Ross Macfarlane KC calling Stokes a “flight risk,” he was once more granted bail.

According to the Daily Record, the court was informed during a brief hearing on Thursday that the former Republic of Ireland striker had failed to appear as scheduled and to cooperate with social workers who were attempting to compile a background report.

Sheriff Macfarlane replied: “He didn’t attend the appointment for the social work report and is not here today therefore a warrant will be granted for his arrest.”