'Rap' Star Actor Arrested In Belfast

An actor and former rap artist in the 'garage' act So Solid Crew has been arrested by police investigating trouble at a Belfast nightclub.

Ashley Walters was one of four men taken into custody in the early hours of Wednesday in relation to the alleged assault at Thompson's Garage, off Donegall Square East.

According to the BBC, all four men remain in police custody.

Ashley Walters is in Northern Ireland filming for a forthcoming television production.

The WWII drama, Small Island is being shot in the Portaferry area with initial filming taking place last month, before the production moved to shoot more footage in Jamaica.

The production, for the BBC, is about discrimination and racial tensions faced by some of the first Jamacian imigrants to England, over the war years.

Since splitting from So Solid Crew - which had a Number One UK hit with '21 Seconds', in August 2001 - Walters has been continuing his associated work as an actor.

He previously appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles at age 10 and Grange Hill at age 14 and has since been on stage at the National Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. He was also in a major film alongside rapper 50 Cent.

The Londoner played the lead role in the critically acclaimed film Bullet Boy, for which he won the British Independent Film Award for 'most promising newcomer' in 2004.

Earlier this year, he returned to the studio and has recently released a new album.

See: WWII Backdrop For BBC Drama

(BMcC/JM)