A former Premier League and England star was reportedly arrested on suspicion of attempted rape after being detained at Stansted Airport
Samuel Meade and Peter Hennessy
01:44, 02 Dec 2025
A general view of Stansted Airport
A former Premier League and England footballer has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape after being detained at Stansted Airport.
According to The Sun, the ex-top flight star was stopped at a passport control point at the airport. His details are understood to have flagged that he was wanted by police over a historical allegation of attempted rape reported by a former partner.
Border Force officials prevented him from boarding his flight on Sunday evening. Essex Police officers were called and made their way to Stansted Airport to detain the suspect. He was transported to a nearby police station where his fingerprints, DNA sample and photograph were obtained.
The man was detained for several hours before being released on bail whilst further enquiries continue. The complainant has been spoken to by specialist sex crimes officers and provided with counselling and support, reports the Mirror.
Essex Police confirmed: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been bailed to a date in late February 2026 while we continue our enquiries.”
The complainant has been interviewed by specialist sex crimes officers and offered counselling and support.