DIZ-GRACE
Furious Dizzee Rascal smashes camera outside court after being found GUILTY of attacking ex-lover
RAGING Dizzee Rascal smashed a photographer's camera outside court after being found GUILTY of attacking his ex-lover.
The rapper - real name Dylan Mills - shoved his partner of nine years Cassandra Jones following a "domestic dispute" about child contact.
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The rapper denied common assault but was today found guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court.
After the verdict was read out, furious Mills snatched a camera from a press photographer outside the court and smashed it on the road.
On the night of the attack, Mills, 37, "barged" into Cassandra's house before banging his head on a fridge three times while holding his son.
He was accused of "pressing his forehead" against his ex during the row, and shoving her to the ground.
The former couple, who split in February last year, have two children together.
Cassandra began filming Mills - who was "screaming and shouting" before he snatched both her and her mother's phone away.
Mills had previously accused Cassandra of "assaulting" him and leaving a scratch on his arm when he was arrested on June 8, the court heard.
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But when police first found him, he said "I am the aggressor", which he claimed was a light-hearted remark to diffuse the situation.
The rapper had been “confrontational” when he picked his daughter up on the day of the attack, the court heard.
Cassandra then called him when he was late dropping her back home and Mills began "swearing" at her, it was said.
When he arrived, she told Mills he couldn't come in but he allegedly "barged her out the way to make his way into the house with his son in his arms”.
The rapper then started "screaming and shouting" in front of Cassandra's mother, Dawn Kirk, while in the kitchen as they tried to grab the youngster from him, the court heard.
Mills claimed he didn't touch the mother of his children.
He told the court: "I was not the aggressor, I did not do anything to her physically.
'I WAS ANGRY'
"I ended up with two small marks because she was waving her phone around.
"Those marks came from her. She was erratic. She assaulted me by pushing me and scratching my left arm. I did not assault her that day."
Mills claimed he was "angry" as Cassandra had ripped up their daughter's Crocs the morning he picked her up.
He admitted texting her saying "shut up, don't give me no lip" and "shut your f**king mouth" as he got stuck in traffic on the way to her home.
The rapper added: "She ripped the Crocs in front of me. Why would you rip your child's shoes up and then tell me to go to the shop.
"I was angry, I was angry at times yes. I was annoyed at her, she was shouting in my face and she was angry.
"At the police station I waited so long, the scratches I had when I arrived had become bruises."
'SCREAMING'
Cassandra wept previously as she told the court that Mills grew “very angry” and “was out of control”.
She said he “nearly dropped” their son, adding: “He was screaming for me and I said ‘Please just give me him’.”
The mum also said he pushed her around the room with his forehead but insisted it was not a "headbutt".
She said he “barged” her and she “fell to the floor” suffering bruising and grazing her left arm.
Cassandra added: “He was charging around, in and out of the house. He was out of control."
She also described him as a "ticking time bomb".
Mills was awarded an MBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours last year for services to music.
He became one of Britain's most successful rap artists after the release of his first solo album, Boy in da Corner, when he was just 18.
The Mercury Prize winner released six more hit albums and had a string of number one singles - including Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me.
He won Best British Solo Artist at the Brits and in 2012 he performed during the opening ceremony at the London Olympics.
Dizzee delivered food parcels to under-privileged children in London’s East End where he grew up during lockdown last year.
He recently headlined South Facing Festival in Crystal Palace.
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Mills will be sentenced at Croydon Magistrates' Court on April 8.
If you have been affected by this article call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
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