Dizzee Rascal attacked ex while holding his baby in a row over custody, court hears
18 February 2022, 16:20 | Updated: 18 February 2022, 21:41
Chart-topping rapper Dizzee Rascal pushed his ex-fiancee to the floor during a "chaotic" argument, a court was told.
The musician - real name Dylan Mills - allegedly attacked his partner of nine years Cassandra Jones following a "domestic dispute" about child contact.
The former couple, who split in February last year, have two children together, Wimbledon Magistrates' Court was told on Friday.
Prosecutor Helena Duong said Mills, 36, had been “confrontational” when he picked his daughter up earlier that day.
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 singer, famous for chart-topping singles Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me, allegedly "put his forehead against hers and pushed her around the room", and "pushed her to the ground".
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The prosecutor said that during the incident, "he became very angry and started acting erratically, banging his head three times on the fridge with his son in his arms".
But Sally Bennett-Jenkins QC, defending Mills, questioned "inconsistencies" in several witness statements Ms Jones had made about the incident.
Ms Bennett-Jenkins argued that both Mills and Ms Jones were screaming at each other during the argument.
Ms Jones, who became increasingly upset during her cross-examination, replied: "Yes, because I was screaming to give back my son.
"He said: 'I cannot understand why you left me' and I said: 'I left you because of domestic abuse'," she added, raising her voice in tears.
Questioned on why she wrote that he "threw" her to the ground in one statement rather than "barged" her, Ms Jones said: "I was in shock about what had happened and I was still caring for both our babies.
"I'm sorry I used the wrong word but what happened happened and all I can do is speak my truth."
When Ms Bennett-Jenkins questioned her claims that Mills "nearly dropped" their son, Ms Jones said: "He is listening and he knows he did that. He knows. He knows. He knows he nearly did that."
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Ms Jones earlier told the court in tears that Mills "was out of control" during the incident.
She said when Mills "nearly dropped" their son, the baby "was screaming for me and I said 'Please just give me him'".
"I was scared for my babies," she added.
Mills released his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, in 2003, and his seventh studio album, E3 AF, which refers to his east London postcode and African heritage, is due out on October 30.
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, of Sevenoaks in Kent, who was charged on August 2, denies assault by beating.
The trial continues.
