Third arrest over sex toy throwing at women's basketball games

A third man has been arrested following a string of incidents where spectators at US women's basketball matches have tried to throw sex toys on to the court.

Charles Burgess allegedly threw such an object at a WNBA game that hit a 12-year-old girl in the stands. The 32-year-old man from Dayton, Ohio, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of assault.

He has pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences, which police say took place at a game between the Dallas Wings and New York Liberty at Barclays Center in the Big Apple on 5 August. According to prosecutors, surveillance video reportedly showed Burgess removing the object from his trousers and hurling it at the court.

But his lawyer has said the footage does not appear to show anyone being struck by the projectile. Similar disturbances happened during games in Atlanta on 29 July and 1 August, Los Angeles and Phoenix on 5 August, and Chicago on 1 and 7 August.

Mr Burgess is the third person to be arrested over the alleged incidents. The first incident reportedly happened at a game between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream.

Police arrested 23-year-old Delbert Carver who was charged with disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, public indecency and indecent exposure. Read more from Sky News:TikTok puts hundreds of UK jobs at riskErik Menendez, jailed for 1989 murder of parents, denied parole A second man, Kaden Lopez, 18, was arrested at a Phoenix Mercury game a few days later.

US media have reported that the sex toy throwing appears to be linked to a group involved in a cryptocurrency meme coin. The WNBA has condemned the incidents and said any person found throwing objects on the court faces a minimum one-year-ban from attending games..