| Charley Bates | |
|---|---|
 Charley (centre) and the Dodger steal Mr Brownlow's handkerchief at the bookstall. Illustration by George Cruikshank. | |
| Created by | Charles Dickens |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Criminal (formerly) Farmhand (ending) |
Charley Bates is a supporting character in the Charles Dickens's 1838 novel Oliver Twist. He is a young boy and a member of Fagin's gang of pickpockets. Bates serves as a sidekick to the Artful Dodger, whose skills he admires unreservedly. Bill Sikes's murder of Nancy shocks him so much that at the end of the novel he leaves London to become an agricultural labourer.