A dizzying photo of the famous Empire State Building, taken from the skyscraper’s spire, was the damning evidence against 29-year-old Isaac Wright, The New York Times reports.

Mr Wright has climbed skyscrapers across the world in search of good shots and has faced his fair share of legal trouble in the past.

Launching an exhibition of his works at the prestigious Robert Mann Gallery in Manhattan, he believed his problems were behind him.

However, he was approached by plainclothes officers during the opening who told him he was under arrest for criminal trespassing after he allegedly left the public area of the Empire State Building to climb its spire.

Mr Wright, who initially “thought it was a joke”, said the police were “very respectful” and “even told me they liked the art”.

Gallery owner Robert Mann said: “I was just completely stunned.

“Ansel Adams probably trespassed in his day to get a great photo, plenty of photographers did.

“But in all my years, I have never seen an artist taken out of an opening in cuffs.”