Local celebrity and former N-Dubz singer Dappy who slapped a member of the public outside a nightclub after making a celebrity appearance in Essex, was fined £800 for assault today and ordered to pay £930 costs.
The 27-year-old, who appeared under his real name Dino Costas Contostavlos, struck George Chittock with an open palm in the early hours of February 27.
He denied assault by beating claiming self defence but was found guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court. At the time of the offence he was under a six months suspended sentence and will be dealt with in relation to breaching this at a later date.
Dappy, of St Albans, who sat with his head in his hands after being found guilty, was also ordered to pay £80 victim surcharge but no compensation was awarded to Mr Chittock.
Supported on the first day of the trial by comedian Jim Davidson who became a friend after they were on Big Brother together, Dappy did not have any celebrity supporters for the second day.
Prosecutor Jacqueline Carey told the court the incident happened on 27 February after Contostavlos carried out a “meet and greet” at Chicago’s in Chelmsford, Essex.
Dappy was in a smoking area along with Contostavlos’s minder and two of the club’s own doorstaff at about 2.00 am when he was seen to slap Mr Chittock, she said.
Ms Carey said: “When the defendant lashed out, he was not under any threat or any perceived threat of violence. The CCTV suggests he had no genuine and honest belief that he needed to use force to defend himself.”
She said Contostavlos claimed Mr Chittock had been abusive towards him earlier in the night and repeated this in the smoking area.
Dappy told the court: “I was scared. I thought he was going to lash out at me.”
His six month suspended sentence had been imposed at Guildford Crown Court for an attack with others on a man on the ground but he is unlikely to go to jail for the breach.
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