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Ex-Newcastle United footballer Nile Ranger has been arrested for breaching his bail conditions in Newcastle city centre.

The troubled striker was arrested by Northumbria Police outside Tup Tup Palace Nightclub on St Nicholas Street in Newcastle at 2.30am this morning.

In August he was ordered by a Newcastle magistrate to stay out of Northumbria Police’s force area after he appeared in court in relation to a charge of raping a woman at a hotel in the city.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “A 22-year-old male was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning on suspicion of breach of bail conditions and is currently in police custody helping police with enquiries.”

The Londoner left the North East by mutual consent in March 2013 and now plays for Swindon Town.

He is due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court later this year after being charged with rape, in connection with an alleged incident at a hotel in Newcastle’s Jesmond area in January 2013. He denies the charges.

Chairman of the magistrates’ bench Mr Doyle told him in August he was to live and sleep in London an only enter Northumbria Police Force area for court appearances or for legal appointments.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning he was allegedly seen talking to officers before being handcuffed and taken into a police van.

Ranger was with Newcastle until last year and made 51 appearances, scoring only twice for the club. He has since had loans spells with Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday before joining Swindon.