Ex-Newcastle player Nile Ranger cleared of rape charges

Former Newcastle United footballer Nile Ranger has reportedly been cleared of the charges of raping a woman in a hotel room.

Ranger and the woman had met in a city centre bar and gone on to different clubs before eventually booking into a Newcastle hotel, and the woman gave evidence that she had no memory of the night after the first bar they were in until she woke up naked next to Ranger in bed.

According to the Daily Star, however, Ranger, who is currently playing for Swindon Town, denied the accusation and said they had consensual sex after going out drinking together and the jury returned the not guilty verdict after the week-long trial.

The court heard that the pair had been messaging for a year before the incident, with Ranger often trying to meet up with her, which led the woman to refer to him as a 'predator' and 'Nile Ripper' in some texts they exchanged.

Ranger has claimed the rape accusation contributed to his contract not being renewed at Newcastle, the report added.