Newcastle legend Solano arrested after breaking Peru coronavirus curfew

Ex-Newcastle star Nolberto Solano was arrested in Peru after failing to abide by a curfew put in place in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

COVID-19 has not taken hold in the South American nation as it has in some countries, though with a sharp rise in new cases in recent days, taking the nation’s infected to 635, there are concerns that it could become more widespread.

In a bid to halt the progress of the virus, which has infected close to 600,000 people worldwide, killing nearly 27.000, Peru has put in place a strict 8pm curfew.

Solano fell foul of the law on Thursday when he was caught out when enjoying a meal that went on longer than anticipated.

“I obviously regret this very much and I ask for forgiveness,” Solano told the radio station RPP Noticias. “I am not going to justify it. It’s very tough for everyone but the most important thing is our health, without that we can’t do anything.”

He was taken to a police station in the capital of Lima after a neighbour had spotted him and complained to the authorities. His stay was short-lived, according to local media, who reported that the assistant manager of the national team was allowed out after his misdemeanour was recorded.

There have been more than 18,000 people arrested for breaking the curfew, with Peruvian president reporting that on Wednesday 2,568 were caught out later than they should have been.

Solano is a notable figure in English football thanks largely to a spell at Newcastle, where he played with distinction in two spells. He made 230 Premier League appearances for the St James’ Park side over the course of eight years with the club, including stints from 1998-2004 and 2005-2007.

In between, he played for Aston Villa and on leaving the Geordies he joined up with West Ham.

Although the 45-year-old returned to his homeland for a period, he finished his career in England, playing short spells with Leicester, Hull and Hartlepool before finally hanging up his boots in 2012 to take up a career in coaching.