Dizzee Rascal has been found guilty of assaulting his ex-fiancée during a row over child contact and finances.
The 37-year-old musician, whose legal name is Dylan Mills, has been found guilty of attacking Cassandra Jones by pressing his forehead against hers and pushing her to the ground during a “chaotic” row at a residential property in Streatham, south London, on 8 June last year.
Following the verdict at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Mills took a camera from a PA Media photographer after the leaving the building and threw it into a road, smashing it.
The court heard the grime artist, behind chart-topping singles Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me, was “frustrated” over custody arrangements and the pair had an argument when he dropped off their daughter at the property.
Mills, who had two children with Ms Jones before they split up in February 2021, was said to have “barged” into the home, banged his head on a fridge three times while holding his son and began “screaming and shouting” at Ms Jones and her mother Dawn Kirk.
The court heard how Ms Jones began filming him but he took her phone from her and then took Ms Kirk’s phone.
A judge was told how when the police arrived, Mills said “I’m the aggressor”, but later gave a prepared statement in a police interview, denying the allegations and claimed he had been assaulted by Ms Jones.
Delivering her verdict, District Judge Polly Gledhill said: “I am satisfied so that I am sure that on 8 June that Mr Mills, on returning home with the child late, lost his temper in an argument over child contact and finances.”
She added he was “abusive and aggressive” and “assaulted her as outlined by the Crown”.
Mills released his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, in 2003. His seventh studio album E3 AF, is due out on 30 October.
He was made an MBE for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020, and performed at festivals in August including Live At Lydiard in Swindon and Boardmasters in Cornwall.
Mills will be sentenced at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 8 April.
Help and support:
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:
- The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Refuge: 0808 2000 247
- In Scotland, contact Scotland’s 24 hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
- In Northern Ireland, contact the 24 hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
- In Wales, contact the 24 hour Life Fear Free Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
- National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
- Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
- Respect helpline (for anyone worried about their own behaviour): 0808 802 0321