Jacksonville Jaguars players arrested outside London nightclub over ‘unpaid £50K bill’

Four players from NFL team the Jacksonville Jaguars were arrested in London on Saturday after allegedly attempting to leave a nightclub without paying a £50,000 bar bill, which led to a brawl with security staff.

The four players arrested have been named as Barry Church, D.J. Hayden, Ronnie Harrison and Jarrod Wilson, according to ESPN.

The team are in the UK capital as they prepare to face NFL champions the Philadelphia Eagles at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

A Jaguars statement confirmed the detentions, saying: "We are aware that four of our players were detained over restitution of a bill. The matter is being resolved and the players are with the team." 

A statement from London police on Sunday confirmed that officers had responded to reports of a brawl as four men attempted to leave the nightclub at around 4am without paying the bill, but that the players had been released.   

"Police were called ... following reports of a fight. Officers attended and spoke with a group of males who had allegedly been attempting to leave the venue without paying a large bill.

“Four men aged in their twenties were subsequently arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and taken to a central London police station for questioning. They were all subsequently released with no further action."

It is reported that the night spot, The London Reign Showclub, dropped the complaint after the £50,000 (US$64,000) bar tab was settled.