By Caroline Chepkorir

A former Worcestershire cricketer, Alex Hepburn, has been suspended for 10 years from playing cricket in England and Wales Cricket Board competitions. The Cricket Discipline Commission made the decision due to his release from prison three years ago on a rape conviction.

On September 16, Hepburn was convicted of rape following his attack on a sleeping woman during a sexual conquest. In September 2020, he filed for an appeal against his conviction, but it was denied, and since he was 21, his professional career has been on pause.

Earlier this year, he was also charged by the cricket regulator with two breaches of Directive 3.3 of the 2017 ECB directives. The first charge is related to this criminal conviction, and the second is around his participation in degrading WhatsApp group chat in 2017, which shared offensive and inappropriate content.

In the charge related to a criminal conviction, he has been suspended from playing cricket for ten years, and before he is allowed to play coach or be part of any cricket activity that falls within ECB authority, he must receive proper professional treatment for the issues. For the second charge, he has been banned from playing for a period of two years.

Hepburn has not appealed the cricket discipline commission’s decision, which successfully ruled him out of professional cricket. This move marked a significant chapter in the sport’s ongoing efforts to impose high standards of conduct and ensure accountability for those who bring the game to dishonor.

Hepburn played two List A and five T20s for Worcestershire between 2015 and 2017, and he picked 12 wickets. Additional Hepburn’s has been permanently added to the sexual offender register.

“For the first charge, relating to his criminal conviction, Mr. Hepburn has been suspended from playing cricket for 10 years, commencing on 30 October 2021. Further, before he is permitted to play, coach, or undertake any cricket-related activity that falls within the authority of the ECB in the future, he is required to undergo appropriate professional treatment for the issues that led to his criminal conviction and to undertake appropriate training and education courses,” Cricketer Regulator said in a statement released on Monday.

“For the second charge, concerning his participation in an offensive WhatsApp group, Mr. Hepburn has been suspended from playing for a period of two years which is deemed served, having commenced on 30 October 2021,” it further added.